Flood fury continues in Krishna
Vijayawada/ Rajahamahendravaram: The flood situation in Andhra Pradesh remained critical on Monday, with Krishna River recording heavy inflows of 6.81 lakh cusecs at Prakasam Barrage even as the Godavari showed a brief respite, dropping to 11.70 feet at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage.
Irrigation authorities warned that fresh inflows are likely in both rivers over the next few days due to heavy rains in Maharashtra and Telangana, keeping vulnerable stretches across coastal and agency districts under threat.
At Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada, officials lifted almost all gates to discharge the surplus water into the sea.
By Monday night, inflows stood at 6.54 lakh cusecs, with 6.39 lakh cusecs released downstream and 15,139 cusecs diverted into the Krishna Eastern and Western canals. Forecasts suggest inflows may climb to 7.23 lakh cusecs with continued releases from upstream projects.
At Srisailam project, all 10 gates were opened to a height of 23 feet, releasing 5.90 lakh cusecs, along with 64,400 cusecs through hydropower generation. The reservoir currently stores 205.22 TMC at a level of 883.10 feet against its full capacity of 215.80 TMC at 885 feet. Nagarjuna Sagar received 5.91 lakh cusecs and released an equal volume, with its storage at 298.59 TMC at 585.40 feet. Pulichintala too received 5.82 lakh cusecs and discharged 5.68 lakh cusecs, with officials predicting further rise in the next two days.
In Krishna district, collector DK Balaji inspected flood-hit mandals including Avanigadda and Challapalli, reviewing precautionary measures with irrigation and revenue officials. He instructed departments to remain on high alert and ensure safety of people in low-lying areas.
Meanwhile, in the Godavari, the withdrawal of the first flood warning at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage offered temporary relief, but officials cautioned that inflows may increase again within three to four days. In Alluri Sitarama Raju district, water levels fluctuated since Saturday: at Etapaka mandal, floodwaters crossed 45 feet before receding, only to rise again by two feet on Monday. Villages including Chodavaram, Gundala, and Murumuru remain waterlogged.
In Kunavaram mandal, standing crops in Kondrajupeta, Chinnarkuru, Peddarkuru, and Repaka were inundated, while Devipatnam mandal lost road connectivity, halting traffic between Chintoor and Vararamachandrapuram centers. Many villages are now reliant on boats for transport.
In Konaseema district, collector R Mahesh Kumar urged island residents to remain alert, warning that another round of floods cannot be ruled out. Relief and rehabilitation works have been intensified in vulnerable stretches across the district.
