RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM/ELURU: Increasing water level in Godavari river at Bhadrachalam in Telangana has put officials in both the Godavari districts on tenterhooks. Though there was no rain on Tuesday and water level was steady at 14.3 feet (above crest level) at Dowleswaram Barrage with an outflow of 14 lakh cusecs into the sea till evening, the officials are left worried with an increase in water level in the river at Bhadrachalam, with copious inflows from Sabari river.
The officials are expecting water level in Godavari to rise again by midnight and have made preparations to face any eventuality. As on 8 pm, the water level increased to 14.8 feet (above crest level) and the outflow increased to 14,47,340 cusecs. The barrage authorities are still maintaining the second-level warning.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu took stock of the situation in the State and asked the officials initiate relief measures and shift people from flood-affected areas to safer locations.
Several villages in Kunavaram, Vara Ramachandrapuram, Chintur and Yetapaka in Agency areas remained cut off from the rest of the world. Similarly, villages along the river course in Devipatnam mandal and several mandals in Konaseema region of the district remained marooned.
With water inundating their houses, villagers of Ainavilli Lanka, Addanki Vari Lanka, Veeravallipalem, G Pedapudi Lanka, Burugulanka and other areas are facing a harrowing time. With Vynatheya, a tributary of the Godavari, flowing above the danger mark, people in Bodasukurrupallepalem, Gopailanka, Rebbana Palli in Allavaram mandal are affected.
With Bhupathipalem reservoir in Rampachodavaram mandal filled to the brim, water is being let out downstream into Seetepalli Vagu; people along the course of the stream are affected. Several thousands of acres in East Godavari are inundated and the officials are now engaged in assessing the damage, which they say can be considerable.
Meanwhile, several hundreds of people were shifted to more than 14 relief camp in the districts from flood-affected areas. The people are worried about their properties and belongings. Officials said that they would allow them to go back only after the water recedes. East Godavari Joint Collector A Mallikarjuna visited the relief camps in Mummidivaram and interacted with the people there.
When some complained that no proper food was provided, he directed the officials concerned to address the situation immediately and suspended Mummidivaram Tahsildar Veerraju on the spot. On the other hand, the situation in West Godavari district continues to be worrying, as Tammileru is still flowing above the danger mark.
Around 40 villages in Polavaram, Kukkunur, Velerupadu, and Buttayagudem remained cut off from the rest of the world with road network affected due to floods.“It might take another two days for a flood in Tammileru to recede and three days in Yerra Kaluva. We are expecting Godavari river to become normal in another four days,” said an official from the revenue department.
On Tuesday, Civil Supplies Minister P Pulla Rao, Excise Minister KS Jawahar, Rajya Sabha member Thota Seetharama Lakshmi and Collector K Bhaskar reviewed the flood situation and explained it to the Chief Minister during a video conference.
55 villages most affected
According to officials, the district received 100 cm of rain in just a couple of days and 35 to 40 cm of rain fell in a span of 8 hours
Fifty-five villages in 14 mandals were most affected
Mummidivaram Tahsildar Veerraju was suspended when people at relief camps said proper food was not being provided