West Godavari faces flood threat

Eluru: The flood situation in West Godavari district is grim. The second level warning, which was issued on Tuesday night, was continued on Wednesday.

Island villages in Kovvuru, Narsapur divisions were marooned in flood water. The second level warning issued to River Godavari is continuing at Dowleiswaram as the water level reached 14.7 feet at the barrage. According to officials, about 14.61 lakh cusecs water was released to downstream.

The Godavari river is in spate at Polavaram, Kovvuru, Achanta, Yalamanchili and Narsapur. The floodwater entered into Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS). Officials on flood duty arranged small boats at Kothuru, Kondrukota to shift the people to safer places.

Jangaredigudem RDO Lavanna and ITDA Project Officer Shan Mohan are monitoring the situation in Polavaram, Velairpadu and Kukunuru mandals.

According to officials, Seetharampuram, Venkatapuram in Kukunuru mandal were totally cut off for communications, apart from 52 hamlets in seven panchayats in Valairpadu mandal.

In Kovvuru division, the island villages were inundated and officials shifted the villagers. As the flood level at Kovvuru crossed second warning level, the bathing ghats were inundated.

In Narsapur division, the low-lying areas in island villages of Ayodhyalanka, Puchalalanka, Anagarilanka, Koderu Pallepalem of Achanta mandal inundated in Vasistha floodwater.

Banana, betel leaf gardens were inundated and the people from these areas were using boats to cross the river. As the bund at Burugupalli village in Achanta mandal was weakened, the officials strengthened it with sand bags.

In Narsapur town, Madhavaipalem ferry point was inundated apart from Padavala Revu. Narsapur Sub-Collector AS Dinesh Kumar and MLA Bandaru Madhava Naidu visited these areas on Wednesday to monitor the situation. The punt and ferry service between Sakhinetipalli - Narsapur has been suspended.