Officials told to monitor flood situation

Vijayawada: Krishna district in-charge collector Gitajali Sharma on Thursday instructed district officials to continuously monitor the flood situation and implement necessary preventive and relief measures promptly in view of the release of 5.50 lakh cusecs floodwater from Prakasam barrage. She asked the officials to be on high alert to tackle any situationarising out of Krishna flood fury.

The in-charge Collector noted that several Lanka (island) villages are already experiencing flooding. Any damaged roads must be immediately repaired, and rescue boats, sandbags, and emergency supplies should be kept ready. She conducted a video conference and reviewed the preparedness in the backdrop of increasing floodwater discharge from Prakasam barrage. She said special care should be taken to evacuate vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants, the elderly and those requiring urgent medical attention to rehabilitation centres. She instructed that boats, transport trucks, operators, and cranes should be mobilised jointly by the Transport and Fisheries departments to evacuate the flood-hit people.

Officials from all departments are advised not to concentrate inone location but to disperse across the affected areas and take up on-ground relief operations. Village Revenue Officers (VROs) must be particularly alert in rural areas, monitoring flood levels and taking timely action.

She also emphasised the need to ensure the availability of food, drinking water, electricity, and other essentials in relief camps. In view of the severe flood threat in Penamaluru and Thotlavalluru mandals, arrangements should be made to evacuate residents from low-lying areas. All officials were urged to work in coordination across both rural and urban areas to tackle the flood situation effectively. Gitanjali Sharma said special officers appointed to each mandal must tour their assigned areas, assess the flood impact, and take necessary action accordingly.

Gudivada RDO Balasubrahmanyam stated that the Budameru stream is currently stable, with about 5,000 cusecs of water being released, which may rise to 7,000 cusecs. At locations such as Kesarpalli, Nandivada Puttagunta, and Indupalli Bridge in Unguturu mandal, water is flowing just one foot below the bridge level. If levels increase, police and VROs will be deployed to restrict movements.