RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The second warning was raised at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram near Rajamahendravaram as the flood flow in river Godavari rose to 14 lakh cusecs (cubic foot of water flow per second) by Wednesday morning. The water level at the barrage crossed 14.50 feet. With copious inflows continuing from the upstream, barrage authorities lifted all 175 crest gates at Dowleswaram barrage to release the water into the sea.
Flood conservator Kasi Visveswara Rao said the inflows may go up in the next two days and slowly recede from Friday evening. Floodwaters inundated horticulture fields in Thallapudi, Peravali, and Kovvur areas in East Godavari district. Officials have alerted people in low-lying areas and told them to get ready to shift to safer places. The district administrations of Godavari, Kakinada, Alluri Sitaramaraju, Konaseema and Eluru have been put on high alert by the State government.
The state government has also alerted the State Disaster Management Authority to keep its forces ready to help people in the affected areas. Sabari is in spate and floodwaters wreaked havoc in Chintur agency. An alert has been sounded in the island villages. In Chinur agency in Alluri Sitaramaraju district, the Sabari floodwaters inundated a few habitations. Four mandals, VR Puram, Yetapaka, Chintur and Kunavaram in ASR district, Velerupadu, Kukkunur and Polavaram mandals in Eluru districts bore the brunt of the floods.