Level at Bhadrachalam declines

• Third flood warning withdrawn
• Koonavaram flood victims confront officials
• They allege official concentration only on some areas
• Fresh downpour in Manugur, Pinapaka, Aswapuram areas
• Efforts on to restore transport and others links to seven mandals

Khammam: Godavari flood level at Bhadrachalam at around 3 pm on Monday stood at 50.3 ft. This is likely to fall further, according to officials of the Central Water Commission. Officials are trying to restore the transport and other links to Vajedu, Venkatapuram, Charla, Dummugudem, V R Puram, Chintoor and Kunavaram mandals.

Even as the flood level in the Godavari at Bhadrachalam is declining, there was downpour in Manugur, Pinapaka and Aswapuram mandals on Monday. Residents in the low-lying areas in the mandals are in distress. Coal production in the Manugur open-cast mine has been stopped as a result of the heavy rain.

Meanwhile, residents in the Koonavaram flood-affected areas confronted the sub-collector and ITDA project officials when they went there to assess the situation on Monday. They alleged that officials are concentrating only on some areas. Already victims staying in the Tanesha Kalyana Mandapam in Bhadrachalam had staged a demonstration on Sunday alleging that food was not being provided to them. Officials said food and water packets were being supplied to the residents of 35 villages stranded in water utilizing country boats in Bhadrachalam division.

Heavy showers are lashing Koonavaram and Charla mandals. In Koonavaram mandal about 200 houses under flood water, severely affecting transport and other links with several villages. Movement of vehicles between Chattisgarh and Bhadrachalam has been paralysed.

Residents of Venkatapuram, Charla, Vajedu, Dummagudem mandals are still living in darkness, as power supply continued to be disrupted for the fourth day after the poles remained under water. Officials have withdrawn the third flood warning in the morning after the level fell. They maintain that power generation could be resumed only when the flood level falls to 48 feet.