Rajamahendravaram: Fear grips Polavaram flood-prone mandals

Rajamahendravaram(East Godavari District): The water level in Godavari river reached the first warning level at Dowleswaram (Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage) at 9 am on Wednesday. As the water level (gauge level) reaches 11.75 feet, the first emergency alert was issued. At 6 pm, the water level at the barrage rose to 13 feet. 6,500 cusecs of water is released into the canals for agricultural purposes, more than 11.5 lakh cusecs of surplus water is released into the sea.

Godavari flood reached 50.60 feet at Bhadrachalam at 5 pm on Wednesday. The first warning was issued on Tuesday evening when the flood level was 43 feet in Bhadrachalam. A second flood warning was issued on Wednesday morning when the flood reached 48 feet.

Due to heavy rains in many parts of Odisha, Maharashtra and Telangana, water level in Godavari is increasing rapidly. Floodwater reaches Bhadrachalam from upstream and then to Polavaram and from there to Dowleswaram Barrage. Due to this, the fear of flood reigns in Polavaram flood-prone mandals and even within the erstwhile joint Godavari district. East Godavari District Collector Dr K Madhavi Latha has suggested the people living in low-lying areas and Lanka lands to be alert.

Sabari, a tributary of Godavari, was inundated with flood water for the past few days because of rains in Odisha. Due to the increase in flood level in Seeleru, Godavari at Kunavaram and Chinturu is flowing beyond danger level. Floodwater is flowing above 40 feet in both these places. This caused traffic to stop at some places in Chinturu and Kunavaram mandals.

Rampachodavaram Sub-Collector Katta Simhachalam advised that no one should go to river and not to travel in boats due to high flood flow in Godavari. He warned that legal action will be taken against those traveling in country boats without permission.