RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Godavari Delta and Polavaram back water regions have been placed on high alert due to heavy inflows into the Godavari River, posing a threat of inundation to several low-lying areas.
The third warning has been issued at Bhadrachalam and the second warning at Dowleswaram barrage on Saturday. At 8 pm on Saturday, the water level at Bhadrachalam was 53.8 ft and the inflow and outflow at Dowleswaram Barrage was at the discharge rate of 13.34 lakh cusecs. If the water level exceeds 17 feet at Dowleswaram Barrage, there is a possibility of issuing a third warning level in the coming days. According to River Conservator Kasi Visveswararao, around 14 lakh cusecs of flood water are being discharged into the Bay of Bengal. According to the Central Water Commission, the flood inflows are expected to increase in the coming three days due to widespread rains in the upper catchment areas of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
The NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed in flood relief operations. As many as 21,051 people were shifted from flood-affected areas to safer locations and 13,289 were relocated to 82 relief camps.
Velerupadu and Kukkunuru mandals are encircled by floodwater. Villages and fields in Chinturu, Yetapaka, Kunavaram and VR Puram mandals are facing submergence. NDRF and SDRF personnel have been deployed in Velerupadu, Sitagaram, Chinturu, VR Puram, Jangareddygudem, Amalapuram, and Kunavaram in the flood-hit districts to respond swiftly if flood levels rise.
Ministers K Atchannaidu, Nimmala Rama Naidu, Kolusu Parthasarathy, Vangalapudi Anitha, Eluru district Collector and others toured the worst-hit Velerupadu and Kukkunuru mandals.
Sangameswara temple submerged in Krishna
The historical Sangameswara Swamy temple was submerged due to heavy floodwater in Krishna river, with only gopurams visible. The temple in Kothapalli mandal in Nandyal on the Krishna river bank remains underwater for eight months every year. The priests perform rituals only four months a year. For the remaining eight months, the temple remains underwater due to the overflowing Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers, which connect seven rivers