14,500 cusecs let into sea

- Flood situation in Krishna district
- 20 gates of Prakasam barrage lifted
- Control room opened in Machilipatnam

Vijayawada: Irrigation officials lifted 20 gates of Prakasam barrage and released 14,500 cusecs of surplus water into sea on Thursday with increasing inflows from upland areas. Due to heavy rains in some parts of Guntur district, Rayalaseema and Telangana districts, water inflows increased at Pulichintala reservoir as well as Prakasam barrage.

The irrigation department officials have lifted 20 gates up to one feet and releasing water into sea. Similarly, water release into Krishna Eastern Canal and Krishna Western Canal continued on Thursday as usual. About 9,600 cusecs of water released into canals for the irrigation purposes in four districts of Krishna delta. The inflows are expected to rise by Friday. Pulichintala reservoir is drawing more water.

The Krishna district administration is on alert and arranged a control room in Machilipatnam with phone No 08672 – 252572 and toll free number of 1077 in the backdrop of rains and increasing inflows into Prakasam barrage. The District Collector, Babu A, on Thursday instructed the officials in the downstream mandals of Prakasam barrage to take precautions to prevent any untoward incident in the wake of releasing waters from Prakasam barrage on Thursday.

Flood reaches Cumbum Lake
Giddalur: The incessant rain in Nallamala forest and Giddalur, Racherla, Ardhaveedu surroundings made the rivulets and streams take their course through the farms and filling tanks. But farmers in the area are now happy as these rains could help in raising the groundwater levels and flood Cumbum Lake, which has an ayacut of nearly 7,000 acres.

As Nallamala forest receiving rain since Wednesday night, Sagileru and Enumuleru rivulets receive moderate inflows. But the Gundlakamma river in Racherla mandal and Jampaleru rivulet had high flood since Thursday morning. These rivulets started filling the local tanks en route to the second biggest lake in Asia, Cumbum Lake.

Due to the flooding of Gundlakamma, the crops in about 40 acres in Chinaganipalle of Racherla mandal were damaged and the farmers experienced a loss of about Rs 10 lakh. The Ramanna Katwa at the Chinaganipalle damaged for about 40 feet including the iron posts.

This breakage affected the traffic between the Giddalur and Akaveedu villages. On the other side, the local farmers are expressing happiness about the continuous rain in the area. They are praying for continuous rain for two more days so that they could get water for drinking and irrigation purposes.