Rains continue to play havoc

• Irrigation projects receive heavy inflows of water
• Several villages marooned in Adilabad district
• Penganga and Godavari in spate at several places
• First alert sounded at Eturunagaram and Bhadrachalam

Hyderabad: Several irrigation projects in the Telangana received heavy inflow of water due to copious rains in the region and upper catchment area of Godavari in Maharashtra on Thursday due to cyclonic depression in Bay of Bengal. As Godavari is overflowing, about 5 lakh cusecs of water was discharged into sea at Dowleswaram. In Adilabad district, the Penganga River is in spate due to water gushing from the rivulets and excess water released from the irrigation projects in Maharashtra. Due to flood waters of Penganga, several villages including Tohini, Venkataraopet, Udikili, Makidi, Jakkapur, Tarigama, Lakshmipur were cut off from other places. The revenue and police officials were on high alert. Soya bean, cotton crops in 8,000 acres was submerged in the floodwaters. The coal production in Bellampalli open cast mine came to a standstill due to heavy rains. The Singareni Collieries officials said the Company incurred a loss of Rs 10 crore. Local MLA Sammaiah toured in the flood-affected areas. In the Warangal district, first warning signal was issued at Ramannagudem village in Eturunagaram mandal as the river Godavari has recorded the level of 8.51 meters at Pushkarghat by Thursday afternoon. As the river was flowing in full spate above the danger level the district officials have alerted those living on the banks of the river. When the last reports came in the water level was recorded to be 8.69 meters. According to the officials, Godavari level at Ramannagudem is likely to increase further. The second warning would be issued when the water level crosses 9.90 meters. Eturunagaram mandal Tahasildar Vijay Sagar visited the Ramannagudem village and reviewed the situation.

Couple trapped A man and his wife have been trapped in flood waters near Azamnagar in Bhupalpalli mandal. According to sources, a farmer, Chintala Ravi and his wife were returning home after finishing work in their field on Thursday and were caught between Sambaiahkunta and Peddavagu. The villagers were trying to rescue the couple. In Nizamabad, the Sriram Sagar project received flood waters due to copious rains in the upper reaches in Maharashtra. The water level reached 1066.6 ft as there was an inflow of 70 thousand cusecs of water.

At Dowlaiswaram The water level of Godavari was increasing steadily at Bhadrachalam since morning on Thursday. Officials said the level reached 43 ft in the afternoon. In East Godavari district, River Godavari is in spate following heavy rain in the catchment areas. The water level reached 7.50 feet at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowlaiswaram by 6 pm on Thursday. All the 175 crest gates of the barrage were lifted completely. Flood water up to 5.23 lakh cusecs is being discharged into the sea.