SRIKAKULAM/KAKINADA/KURNOOL: With heavy rains lashing Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts for the last two days, a flood-like situation prevailed in several parts of the north coastal districts on Wednesday.
Even as major reservoirs across the State are brimming with continuous inflows, the Indian Meteorological Department on Wednesday predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall, under the influence of a depression over Odisha coast, across the three districts in the next 48 hours.
In Kakinada, seven fishermen who ventured into the sea on a mechanised boat on August 7, haven’t returned yet. The district administration is seeking the support of Coast Guard to locate the boat belonging to Mosa Pethuru from Dummulapeta in Kakinada. The missing fishermen are Garikina Anand (39), Apparao (52), Yeripelli Laxman (38), Sattibabu (39), Dasari Koyyaraju (37) and two others.
District collector Karthikeya Mishra has alerted the Marine and Coast Guard Department to launch a search operation.In Srikakulam, continuous rains resulted in the disruption of road connectivity between Alikam Battili road in LN peta and flood waters gushed into several houses at Koyilam colony of the low-lying village.
Vamshadhara flash floods likely, reservoirs brim
Similarly, the road network was affected in Matala and Kaligam of Kotturu mandal and Peddadimili of Bhamini manal. Incessant rains in the upper catchment area of Odisha, have led to the prediction of flash floods in Vamsadhara river. Keeping this in view, district collector K Dhananajaya Reddy set up a control room -- contact no. 08942-240557 --for all low lying mandals along the Vamsadhara including Hiramandalam, Sarubujjjili, Amadalavalasa, LN Peta, Burja, Kotturu, Bhamini and Jalumuru.
Water levels in various reservoirs are on the rise due to rains in the upper catchment area of the Vamsadhara in Odisha. The inflow at Gotta Barrage is around 83,000 cusecs as on Wednesday evening and the same is being discharged as outflow. With the increased water levels, irrigation officials opened all 22 gates of the barrage.
The water level in the pond reached 37.10 metres against the full reservoir level of 38.10 metres. Similarly, the inflow at Narayanapuram ayacut on Nagavali river is 24,800 cusec, with around the same outflow.
The inflow at the old bridge on Nagavali river is 24,000 cusecs while the inflow at Madduvalasa reservoir is 600 cusecs. Totapalli reservoir in Vizinagaram has an inflow of 44,000 while the outflow is 53,000 cusecs.
In Kurnool, Srisailam reservoir is has been receiving heavy inflows from both Sunkesula dam via Tungabhadra and Jurala project via Krishna river. Nearly 150 TMC of water has reached the Srisailam reservoir this year. Currently, 152.15 TMC of water is stored in Srisailam reservoir against its capacity of 215.8 TMC. Officials expect the reservoir to reach full capacity in the next three days.
The officials said water would be released to Nagarjuna Sagar once the FRL is reached. The Srisailam reservoir is receiving 72,640 cusecs of inflow as on Wednesday, officials said. About 39,090 cusecs is being used for power generation and drinking water purpose.
Weather forecast
Heavy rains to continue for 48 hrs
Heavy rains expected in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari; moderate rains in West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur
August 18 Another depression likely to north of Bay of Bengal
