Rajamahendravaram: Godavari flows above danger mark

Rajamahendravaram: Though there has been relief from incessant rains on Monday, river Godavari continues to flow above danger level. The water level at Bhadrachalam touched 62 feet and as a result the inflow at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage was very huge and third warning level is still in force both at Bhadrachalam and Dowleswaram.

According to East Godavari District Collector Muralidhar, 161 villages in 13 mandals were affected. In Amalapuram area, 12 more villages were affected, while 63 relief camps were set up so far. As many as 20 lakh cusecs of water was discharged into the sea from the barrage and all 175 gates of Dowleswaram, Ryali, Maddur and Vijjeswaram were lifted to the maximum height.

Flood water surged into nearly 1,500 houses in the mandals of Devipatnam, Chintoor, Vararamachandrapuram, Etapaka and Nellipaka mandals in the agency area and road connectivity got cut off between many villages. Water and power supply was stopped in nearly 99 tribal villages as many electric poles got uprooted.

In the agency area, the officials are shifting the people to uplands through boats as their habitations were marooned. NDRF teams were pressed into service in the agency area to help the officials.

Letting of the flood water into the branches of river Godavari led to flooding of island villages in the Konaseema region - Ganti Pedapudi Lanka, Voodimoodi Lanka, Aratigelavaripeta, Boorugu Lanka, Gurajapu Lanka, Lanka of Thane as the flood water entered these habitations. Country boats were used to shift people to upland areas. The villagers said that animals were still in the villages and were suffering as the villages were inundated. They said no help from the authorities was available in the last three days. While people suffered due to lack of water and milk, the animals were suffering as there was no fodder. Horticulture crops were totally damaged, they said.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has instructed the officials to be on high alert in wake of floods and asked them to provide all necessary relief to the affected people and be more attentive as the Covid is also prevalent. The Chief Minister said that there should be preparedness from the official side and succour should be provided to people living in low-lying areas. He said that people in the relief camps should get all needed help and there should be no difficulty in procuring essential commodities.

The Tungabhadra Dam was receiving an inflow of about 40 lakh cusecs, while the outflow was 25 lakh cusecs. The district administration has announced a high alert along the villages on the riverbank.