RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: With the rise in water level in Godavari, a high alert has been sounded in East and West Godavari districts. Due to heavy rains in catchment areas of upstream Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, Godavari has started receiving copious inflows. Around 5 lakh cusecs of flood water was discharged from Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram on Wednesday.
According to Dowleswaram Barrage Head Works Executive Engineer G Srinivasa Rao, all measures have been taken to strengthen the river bunds in the wake of increasing inflows. At Polavaram upper cofferdam, the water level has crossed 32 metres. Gandi Pochamma temple at Gonduru in Devipatnam mandal was almost submerged in the backwater of Polavaram project.
Rampachodavaram Sub-Collector Katta Simhachalam told TNIE that people from 23 submergence villages were evacuated and shifted to Relief and Rehabilitation colonies. Revenue officials are providing ration and vegetables to the people who are staying on the hillocks. A control room was set up at the sub-collector office in Rampachodavaram to monitor relief and rehabilitation measures, he added.
West Godavari
11.8 mm - Average rainfall
46.4 mm - Highest rainfall at Achanta
East Godavari
14.5 mm - Average rainfall
55.4 mm - Highest rainfall at Kajuluru