Every monsoon, 159 villages face flood threat in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: In all, 159 villages in 19 mandals are facing a flood threat during every rainy season in the district due to Nagavali and Vamsadhara rivers. Due to lack of scientific alarming system, officials are often facing trouble to evacuate villagers during floods.

Nagavali river is passing through 10 mandals Vangara, Veeragattam, Regidi, Palakonda, Burja, Santhakaviti, Ponduru, Amudalavalasa, Etcherla and Srikakulam rural in the district. As per river safety norms, first warning issued for 30,000 cusecs of water at Thotapalli barrage, second warning for 40,000 cusecs and third warning for 60,000 cusecs.

At Narayanapuram anicut 60,000 cusecs is required for issuing of first warning, 70,000 for second and 80,000 for third warning. At Srikakulam city first warning is issued for 70,000 cusecs, 80,000 cusecs second and one lakh cusecs for third warning. In all, 107 villages in 10 mandals on Nagavali river are facing severe flood threat.

No rain and river gauge system is established all along the catchment area of Nagavali either in Odisha or in AP states. As result floods are posing threat to safety of these 107 villages every year.

Earlier both Odisha and AP governments made efforts to set up rain gauge and river gauge systems in catchment area of Nagavali with approval of Central Water Commission (CWC) but it is yet to be realised. “No scientific system existed on Nagavali catchment area as a result we are unable to estimate flood situation during rainy season,” admitted Thotapalli Project SE Dola Tirumala Rao and regular irrigation EE, Bora Ravindra.

Vamsadhara is passing through 11 mandals, Bhamini, Kotturu, Hiramandal, Jalumuru, L N Peta, Sarubujjili, Narasannapeta, Polaki, Amudalavalasa, Srikakulam rural and Gara in the district. In all, 52 villages in 11 mandals are facing flood threat every year. On the river, first warning is issued for 40,000 cusecs, second for 80,000 cusecs and third for 1,06,000 cusecs at Gotta barrage. River gauge and rain gauge system on Vamsadhara is somewhat better than Nagavali.

The systems have been set up at six places in catchment area of Vamsadhara in upper riparian state Odisha. The CWC is monitoring water level in the river during floods and issue warnings for every three hours. Srikakulam rural and Amudalavalasa mandals cover both Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers.

By Ch Lakshmana Rao