VIJAYAWADA/RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Heavy to very heavy rains continued to batter East Godavari and West Godavari districts since Sunday morning under the impact of the low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal and South-West Monsoon, which is active in the State. Other districts in the State too received light to moderate rains on Monday. With heavy rains in the upper catchment areas of River Godavari, copious inflows are being received at the Polavaram project and Dowleswaram Barrage. With flood levels at the Polavaram project increasing, water has entered Gandi Pochamma temple at Devipatnam of East Godavari district and the temple administration has closed the temple.
Several tribal habitations on both the banks of the river at the project site have been inundated in floodwater. The road connectivity to 19 villages in Polavaram mandal has been cut off and a special boat has been pressed into service to shift the people from the inundated areas. According to officials, the floodwater level rose to 27.5 metres at Polavaram cofferdam and is likely to cross the 28-metre mark in the early hours of Tuesday. Polavaram superintendent engineer Narasimha Murthy said with incessant rains in upper catchment areas of the river in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Telangana, they expect the flood levels to increase further in the coming two to three days.
Dowleswaram Barrage head works executive engineer G Srinivasa Rao said that about 50,000 cusecs water is being discharged to sea through Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage. The water level at the barrage rose to 10.90 feet. A first level warning would be given once the water level crosses 11.75 feet, he said.
District administration is closely monitoring the situation and official machinery has been put on alert. With heavy rain warning issued for Rayalaseema, district administrations of Kadapa, Kurnool, Anantapur have been put on alert. In Kadapa district, Superintendent of Police KKN Anburajan alerted the department of possible flood situation in view of heavy rains. Considering the past experience, he has readied 100 police rescue teams, which have been equipped with life jackets, ropes and other equipment.
Police rescue teams and disaster management teams have been asked to be prepared for search and rescue operations. Vulnerable villages along Penna and Kundu rivers besides other water bodies in the district are being closely monitored. Similar arrangements have been made in Kurnool and Anantapur districts also.
Meanwhile, State Disaster Management Authority said a low pressure area over west central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts persists. However, there is no likelihood of its intensification into a depression.
Under the influence of a low pressure system, heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places over north Coastal Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday. Strong winds with speeds reaching up to 40 to 50 kmph are likely over South Bay of Bengal along and west central Bay of Bengal along and off Tamil Nadu and AP coasts on July 12 and 13. Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea. According to APSDPS, the highest rainfall of 12.6 cm has been received at Rowthulapudi in East Godavari district on Monday evening.