KAKINADA: In spite of a sunny Tuesday, there was no respite for the residents of island villages which were submerged by the Godavari floodwaters. What made the situation worse for the island villagers was the release of about 2.2 lakh cusecs of water from the Dowleswaram barrage on Monday. The floodwaters damaged the temporary road at Ganti Pedapudi village in P Gannavaram Mandal of East Godavari. As a result of this, the students and farmers of the area had to travel by country-made boats. The local revenue officials have arranged two catamarans for transporting, but absence of life jackets made the voyage unsafe. The floodwaters may damage the banana, paddy and other horticulture crops of the area, observers feel.
East Godavari people got a relief from the incessant rains as it was a sunny day on Tuesday. Though there was no rain, still Godavari played the spoilsport in many areas because of the flood situation and movement of traffic came to a halt in four island villages. It is expected that more rain and floodwater may flow into the Dowleswaram barrage from upland areas.
Irrigation officials disclosed that till now 2.2 lakh cusecs of water was released into the sea. Water level in River Godavari at Dowleswaram barrage stood at 12 feet on Tuesday evening. Sand reaches in the middle of the river at Veeravarapulanka were completely submerged.
The water from Pudipalli is flowing into Seetapalli Vagu. As a result, the floodwater has reached Dandangi. Water from Kadamma Vagu, adjacent to the Godavari, has been flowing into the fields in A Veeravaram. The people of Toyyeru and Devipatnam fear that the water may obstruct the upper coffer dam works in the middle of the Godavari.
If the flow intensifies further,the movement of traffic near Dandangi may come to a halt. As a result of overflowing of the Godavari, the tribal people of Kachuluru, Kondamodalu and another 16 villages may face much inconvenience.
The floodwater has also entered the Vasishta Godavari as there was a breach in the bund. The floodwater entered Udimudilanka, G Pedapudilanka, Arigelavaripeta and Burugulanka in P Gannavaram Mandal.
Traffic movement came to a halt in these villages. The bund laid below at Burugulanka along a stretch of 1.5 km was washed away.
Amalapuram RDO B Venkataramana said two motor boats and life jackets were kept ready at Burugulanka ghat. Local farmers alleged that the officials did not take care about the island villages.
For several years, the villagers have been demanding construction of a bridge in the area. Had the bridge been there, the four island villages would not have been cut off from the rest of the district.