RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Seventeen villages in Velerupadu mandal of West Godavari district were under floodwater as the Godavari continued to receive heavy inflows on Friday. Even the Poshamma Gandi temple at Gonduru was completely submerged in the backwater of Polavaram project.
According to Dowleswaram Barrage control room executive engineer G Srinivasa Rao, the floodwater may start receding from Saturday after the inflows touch 10 lakh cusecs. He noted that the flood levels at Bhadrachalam was receding and the first warning was withdrawn. As per the data provided by the control room, around 9.50 lakh cusecs was being discharged from the barrage on Friday when the water-level there was recorded at 11.20 feet. At Kunavaram, the water-level was at 18.150 metre, 9.30 metre at Kunta and 15.4 metre at the old rail bridge.
Meanwhile, the flood level at Polavaram upper cofferdam remained stable at 34 metre and is expected to recede from Saturday afternoon.As the tributaries of the Godavari in the Konaseema area were in spate, the revenue authorities arranged temporary shelters at Mondepu Lanka, Udumudi and Vaineteya Lanka.