RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The second flood warning was issued at Dowleswaram Barrage near Rajamahendravaram on Tuesday over rising floodwaters in the Godavari River. The barrage is expected to continue receiving heavy flooding for another two days due to torrential downpours in the upper catchment area. According to Dowleswaram Barrage Superintending Engineer G Srinivasa Rao, a high alert has been sounded in all 118 island villages in the Godavari delta due to the increasing flood levels.
The second warning was issued in the early hours of Tuesday when the water level reached 14.50 feet, with water inflows and outflows at the barrage recording at 13 lakh cusecs. Currently, the inflows have increased to 14 lakh cusecs.
Meanwhile, the State government has put all five districts -- East Godavari, West Godavari, Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR), Eluru, and Konaseema -- on high alert. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed to rescue people from low-lying areas and evacuate them to relief centres.
In ASR district, 177 villages in four mandals, including Yatapaka, Chinturu, VR Puram, and Kunavaram, are affected by the Godavari and Sabari floodwaters, with 54 villages cut off from the mainland.
A total of 149 relief centres have been set up in these mandals to accommodate flood victims. As many as 44 boats and 11 mechanised boats have been deployed to evacuate those trapped by the floodwaters. Chintur Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) project officer Kavuru Chaitanya reported that tractors were arranged to transport victims and their belongings to relief camps.
East Godavari Collector P Prasanti visited the relief centres, where 248 flood victims from Kethavarilanka have been provided shelter. They advised the victims to remain in the camp until the floodwaters recede. She visited Maddurulanka and spoke with officials about strengthening the bund as the river is in spate, using sandbags to prevent breaches.
In Eluru, 36 villages in Velairpadu and 21 villages in Kukunoor were affected, and victims have been moved to relief camps, said Jangareddygudem RDO Addayya. He reported 3,517 people from 968 families were relocated to relief camps in the two mandals. Villages such as Koida, Katukuru, Narlavaram, and others have been moved to relief camps. The officials arranged 12 generators at the camps, and 18 boats for evacuation efforts.