Godavari in spate

Flood alert along the river as it crosses danger mark

• Low-lying areas along the river marooned
• Special officers rushed to affected districts
• Choppers pressed into service for rescue
• Heavy rains forecast in next 48 hours

Rain-related toll eight: Karimnagar 4; Khammam 2; Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad 1 each Hyderabad: Heavy rains in the catchment areas of Godavari and its tributaries in the past 48 hours have swelled the river at many places in the State. Flood alert has been sounded all along the river course as it has been flowing above the danger level of 53 feet and the flood level is likely to touch 59 feet by this morning. According to reports reaching here, eight people have lost their lives in rain- related incidents. The State government has put the official machinery on high alert in the affected districts and rushed senior IAS officers to monitor relief and rescue operations. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the flood situation with ministers concerned and Chief Secretary P K Mohanty. Assuring the Collectors of rain-hit districts of all help, the Chief Minister wanted choppers to be kept as stand by to meet any eventuality. He instructed the Chief Secretary to take the help of Army, Navy and Air Force if necessary for rescue and rehabilitation. Two National Disaster Response Force teams have already left for flood-prone Khammam for relief operations. Five IAF helicopters have been kept ready for air dropping of food, water and medicine to the marooned villages. Seven relief camps have already been opened in Nizamabad town and about 2,000 persons accommodated in the camps. Meanwhile, the official figures put the rain-related death count at eight � four in Karimnagar, two in Khammam and one each in Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad. A total of 1,623 houses were damaged, 177 of them badly and their residents needing rehabilitation. Four villages in Mahadevpur and Mahamutharam mandals of Karimnagar district were marooned. As the Met office issued heavy rainfall warning for the next 48 hours, the government asked officials of rescue operations to monitor the situation closely and be on alert round the clock. While heavy rains have been forecast at isolated places in Telangana districts of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam and Nalgonda in the next two days, heavy to very heavy rains are likely in Coastal Andhra districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Krishna, Guntur and East and West Godavari.