VIJAYAWADA: With heavy inflows from upstream river Sabari and other rivulets and streams, river Godavari is in spate in Andhra Pradesh cutting off several villages in East and West Godavari districts. Officials have issued a second warning at the Dowaleswaram barrage with the water levels touching 13.75 feet as the river is receiving heavy inflows from the upstream areas.
Officials released 13.75 lakh cusecs of water into the sea but still the second warning is issued as the river Godavari is receiving heavy inflows from upstream Bhadrachalam.
In East Godavari district, a country boat carrying around 20 people capsized in Godavari waters at Gurajapulanka in Mummidivaram mandal. However, barring a 20-year person identified as Nalla Buchi Maheswara Rao managed to reach the bank safely and efforts are on to rescue the missing person.
Atleast 36 villages in Devipatnam mandal of the district were cut off with river waters flooding the Devipatnam-Koyyuru road.
In West Godavari district, Tammileru reservoir was filled to the brim forcing the officials to press the panic button. Eluru town is on the verge of getting inundated with the flood waters of Tammileru reservoir, officials said adding that 1,000 families of the YSR colony on the outskirts of the town were shifted to safer places.
Flood waters have washed away roads on the Duggirala-Nuzvid highway and Kaikaluru-Eluru route cutting off several villages. The highway connecting Jangareddygudem with Hyderabad was also washed off at several places.
A 100-year old bridge connecting Jangareddygudem-Hyderabad has also washed away and two persons travelling on a motorcycle fell into the gushing waters today morning. However, they were rescued by locals.
Meanwhile, the NDRF personnel and local revenue and police officials on Monday rescued all the 600-odd pilgrims who got stranded at the Guppala Mangamma temple in Buttayagudem mandal of East Godavari. On Sunday, the devotees went to the temple when local Erra kaluva stream started received heavy inflows inundating the hillock. The rescue operations started late in the night and all of them were rescued today morning.