Flood havoc continues; 87 villages marooned

By Express News Service

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM/VIJAYAWADA:  Though floods in the Godavari started receding at Bhadrachalam and the flood warning was withdrawn, 51 villages in West Godavari and 36 others in East Godavari’s Devipatnam mandal are still submerged in the river water. People, who refused to vacate their villages, are taking shelter on hillocks near their villages.

On the other hand, the first flood warning has been issued at Dowleswaram barrage near Rajamahendravaram, with the flood discharge crossing 10 lakh cusecs. At 9 pm on Sunday, the discharge rate at the barrage stood at 10,11,382 cusecs.

Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management commissioner K Kanna Babu said with inflows receding at Polavaram project the flood discharge at Dowleswaram is likely to decrease by Monday morning. However, two NDRF and three SDRF teams have been deployed at Kunavaram, Chinttoor and VR Puram in East Godavari, and Jangareddygudem and KR Puram of West Godavari as a precaution. 

While alerting the district administrations of both the districts to closely monitor the situation, the authority has cautioned people from venturing into the river, its tributaries and distributaries as they are in spate. All persons living along the course of the rivers, particularly in low lying areas, have been put on alert.

As many as 32 villages in Velerupadu mandal, and 19 in Polavaram mandal in West Godavari district were marooned in flood water, as on Sunday evening. Kotturu, Baadapuram, Kondrukota, Vadapalli and Kottamamidigondi villages in Polavaram mandal were under 4 feet of flood water.

Godavari floodwater at Polavaram project site in West Godavari on Sunday

According to Polavaram tahsildar, there are 3,328 displaced families in 19 villages, out of whom 1700 were vacated and shifted to temporary shelters. A tourist boat was pressed into service to distribute essential commodities and vegetables to the displaced stuck in villages. 

Meanwhile, 210 families in Gommugudem and 50 others in Bestagudem were shifted to rehabilitation centresKR Puram ITDA Project Officer O Anand toured Chiguru Mamidi, Bollapalli and Thatkurugomma villages and asked the locals to be prepared to be shifted to the rehabilitation colonies. He said four launches, two motor boats and two country boats were pressed into service. 

In Devipatam, all 36 villages remained cut off and boating services were suspended.  Sub-collector Katta Simhachalam said relief camps were set up in Musurumilli, and Pothavaram schools.  With heavy flood discharge into sea, villages located on banks of Gowthami, Vashsita and Vainateya — distributaries of the Godavari — have been put on alert.  There are around 80 villages in the Konaseema region. 

Meanwhile, inflows into Srisailam project continued to increase steadily and with floodwater being released from Tungabhadra dam in Karnataka villages along the river course were alerted.  At 9 pm on Sunday, inflows at Srisailam stood at 4,05,416 cusecs with water level at 865.5 feet.  Project officials said they are expecting the water level to rise further as more inflows from Tungabhadra are expected in the next couple of days. They said they are closely monitoring the situation. 

Godavari & its tributaries in spate

All 36 villages in Devipatnam mandal remain cut off

Inflows into Srisailam project increasing steadily 

People living along the river banks put on alert

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