RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Water level in the River Godavari continued to rise following heavy inflows from the upper catchment areas in Odisha, Telangana and Maharashtra, prompting officials to sound an alert in Eluru, Alluri Sitarama Raju, East and West Godavari districts. As a result of the incessant rainfall and subsequent flooding, several villages in the Godavari districts have reported crop damage.
The water level at the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage reached 10.8 ft on Saturday with about 4.09 lakhs cusecs water being discharged into the sea. The inflows are likely to cross 5 lakh cusecs on Sunday. Officials said the first warning will be issued at the barrage, once it receives inflows at the rate of 10 lakh cusecs. They added that if the heavy rains continue in the upper catchment areas, it will take four to five days for the inflows to touch 10 lakh cusecs.
In Alluri Sitarama Raju district, Collector AS Dinesh Kumar has warned of potential flooding in Chintur division due to the downpour and surge in inflows from upstream catchment areas. A high alert was sounded in Yetapaka, VR Puram, Velerupadu, Kukkunuru and Devipatnam mandals as they are prone to floods. Officials have been instructed to remain vigilant in flood-affected regions and implement relief and rehabilitation measures.
Paddy crop badly damaged in Godavari districts
Additionally, ASR Collector has issued orders banning the movement of heavy vehicles, buses, and private jeeps on five key ghat roads - Vaddadi-Paderu Ghat Road, Paderu-Chintapalli-Kokkarapalli Ghat Road, Downuru-Lambasinghi Ghat Road, Rampachodavaram-Chintoor-Maredumilli Ghat Road, and S Kota-Araku Anantagiri road -- from 7 pm to 6 am until the rains subside.
He held a teleconference with ITDA (Integrated Tribal Development Project Authority) project officers, Tahsildars, and officials on Saturday. He ordered representatives of Jio, Airtel, and BSNL to ensure proper cell tower signals and WiFi network are available for the people at all times.
Meanwhile, the road between Chintur in AP and a bordering village in Odisha was washed away as the River Sabari at Kalleru village in ASR district received heavy inflows.
In Devipatnam mandal, 22 families of Talluru village climbed a hill to escape the swelling Godavari. Officials had shifted residents of Talluru as part of Rehabilitation and Relief scheme to take up the Polavaram irrigation project, but these 22 families refused to leave the village. According to revenue officials, 45 persons are still in Talluru village. Rampachodavaram revenue authorities are planning to provide ration to them by sending boats. Four gates of the Bhupatipalem Reservoir were opened to discharge surplus water into Rampachodavaram Agency area on Saturday.
The Gandi Pochamma temple was totally submerged on Saturday. Only the temple Sikharam was visible.
Two pregnant women who were trapped in Mukunur village due to heavy inflows of Sokileru stream in Chintur mandal were shifted to a government hospital. On receiving the information, ITDA project officer Pawan Varma arranged a 108 ambulance and boats to shift the woman.
In Eluru district, 12 villages under seven Grama Panchayats have been hit by the rains and subsequent flood. A total of 7,450 acres paddy crop was damaged in Velerupadu and Kukkunur mandals due to breach to the Peda Vagu project. Horticulture gardens, spread across 106 acres, were damaged and roads covering 5 km at 126 places washed away in the two mandals.
Minister for Housing Kolusu Parthasarathi visited the Medipalli village and reviewed flood relief measures with the authorities and MLAs. He directed the officials to provide food to the flood victims at their houses in Velerupadu and Kukkunur mandals. He instructed them to focus on relief measures till end of monsoon. Velerupadu mandal was worst hit due to the breach to Pedda Vagu in Telangana.
Parthasarthi asked the officials to form committees with the villagers, village staff, and NGOs to monitor the rains and floods. Further, he directed the DM&HO to conduct health camps in all affected villages.
In West Godavari district, officials have taken up works to strengthen the Yanamadurru drain bund road in Bhimavaram city. Collector C Nagarani directed the irrigation and revenue authorities to identify the weak points and strengthen the bunds on a war footing.
In East Godavari district, paddy and horticulture farmers are in distress as their cultivated land is under water in Nidadavolu and Nallajerla. District Collector P Prasanthi toured the rain-affected areas and said a detailed report on the crop loss would be submitted to the government. At least 10,000 hectares of paddy fields were submerged due to heavy rains in the district.
Stating that low-lying areas and fields were submerged due to Yerrakalva flooding, she urged the victims to move to rehabilitation centres. Further, Prasanthi said input subsidy will be disbursed to eligible farmers after obtaining directions from the government.
Situation reviewed
Minister for Home and Disaster Response Management Vangalapudi Anitha directed Collectors to carry out rehabilitation measures in rain-hit areas to avoid untoward incidents