Bhadrachalam: The Godavari River has assumed menacing proportions at Bhadrachalam following torrential rains in the upper catchment areas. With heavy inflows from the Sri Ram Sagar Project, Indravati, and Pranahita rivers, the water level at Bhadrachalam reached 51.9 feet at 9:00 PM on Thursday, prompting the continuation of the second-level flood warning.

According to officials, as of 9 PM, the inflow stood at 13.66 lakh cusecs, and the river level has stabilized since then. The water level rose steadily throughout Thursday, increasing from 48.6 feet at midnight to 51.9 feet by afternoon.

The river has crossed the first flood warning level of 43 feet 31 times already this August — a rare occurrence not seen since record keeping began in 1953. Authorities are on high alert and monitoring the situation closely. The Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram in East Godavari district received over 10 lakh cusecs of water by Thursday morning, said an official. Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) Managing Director Prakhar Jain said the water level of the Godavari River was rising.

“Flood intensity is rising in Godavari. At Dowleswaram (Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage), there was an inflow and outflow of 10.03 lakh cusecs,” said Jain in an official press release. He said the first-level warning had been issued and the districts that could get impacted, Alluri Sitaramaraju, East Godavari, Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema, Kakinada, Eluru and West Godavari, were alerted.

According to the APSDMA managing director, when the water level of the Godavari River at Bhadrachalam in Telangana rose to 50.08 ft, the residents along the banks of the Godavari River were advised to stay alert.

Floodwaters have breached the national highway near Rayannapeta in Yetapaka mandal of Alluri district on the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border. As a precautionary measure, vehicular movement has been suspended. Several key routes — including the Bhadrachalam-Chinturu highway at Turubaka and Gangolu, as well as the Parnasala access road — have become impassable due to rising waters.

Villages such as Sunnambatti and Bairagula Padu have been cut off for the past two days. In Burgampahad mandal, roads near Sarapaka and Reddypalem are submerged, disrupting connectivity.

With river access restricted for safety, pilgrims and devotees are now performing ‘Pitru tarpanam’ (ancestral rituals) on the submerged steps of the Bhadrachalam bathing ghats. Only one person at a time is being allowed into the water for immersion rituals, and only with the help of trained swimmers stationed by authorities. The Kalyanakatta (ritual shaving area), located below the flood protection bund near the famed Bhadrachalam Sri Sitarama Temple, is submerged. Changing rooms for women and public bathhouses are also under water.

Police and rescue teams have been deployed in flood-prone zones to prevent untoward incidents. Bhadrachalam MLA Dr. Tellam Venkata Rao and Sub-Collector Mrinal Shreshta visited some of the affected areas to assess the flood situation. They later traveled in a traditional boat to Sunnambatti village in Dummugudem mandal, accompanied by Market Committee Chairperson Tellam Seetamma, to interact with flood-hit residents. Locals expressed their distress over annual flooding, to which the MLA assured them of swift relocation to safer zones and requisite relief measures.