RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The flood situation in five districts, Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR), Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema, Eluru and the twin Godavari districts, remained grim even as third warning signal was issued on Thursday with the discharge level crossing 19 lakh mark at the Dowleswaran barrage.
As of 9 pm, the flood discharge levels stood at 21.68 lakh cusecs, the highest in the recent past. Water level at the Dowleswaram barrage stood at 19.30 feet. It is expected to cross the 21-feet mark by Saturday. Flood discharge levels might rise to anywhere between 25 lakh and 28 lakh cusecs, once the heavy inflows from Bhadrachalam reach the barrage.
Stating that the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage could receive discharge levels of up to 30 lakh cusecs in the next two to four days, Flood Conservator Kasi Visveswara Rao asserted that the situation did not pose a threat to the structure of the barrage.
All 175 gates had been opened to discharge surplus water, Rao said, cautioning the island villages that are already facing the flood fury of a possibility of a higher threat.
Due to incessant rains in the catchment areas, Godavari has been receiving heavy inflow over the past four days, the surplus water is being released into the sea through the three tributaries - Gowthami, Vasishta and Vynatheya.
Officials are now focusing on strengthening the weak points on the flood banks of the river. Security has been beefed up at all ghats in Rajamahendravaram and four-wheelers have been banned on the barrage.
The flood has affected five lakh people, including those displaced due to the Polavaram Project, in five districts along the Godavari basin.
The Polavaram upper cofferdam recorded floodwater level at 36 metres and discharge level at 20 lakh cusecs.The Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) noted that once the flood discharge levels touch 22 lakh cusecs, 628 villages in 44 mandals of five districts would be affected.
According to officials, as many as 64 island villages were inundated in Konaseema and both Godavari districts. Despite such a situation, several people in river islets refused to evacuate the marooned villages, leading to chaos. Over 62,000 people were evacuated from all the flood-affected regions.
Kunavaram village in ASR district was the worst hit. Relief materials were distributed to three tribal villages in the Kondamothalu area, where people were reluctant to evacuate the submerged villages. As many as 373 habitations spread across eight mandals in ASR and Eluru district were submerged.
Some of these habitations were Polavaram affected villages, including Yetapaka, Chintur, VR Puram, Kunavaram and Devipatnam in ASR district, Velerupadu, Kukkuuru and Polavaram low-lying areas in Eluru district.
ASR district Collector Sumit Kumar said essential commodities were supplied to tribal villages of Kathanapalli, Kothagudem, and Talluru. In island villages, people were seen wading through water to safer locations. In several villages of Konaseema and West Godavari districts, flood has reportedly eroded the soil, resulting in the uprooting of several coconut trees.
The situation in Achanta, Yelamanchili and Narsapuram mandals in West Godavari, Mummidivaram, I Polavaram, Alamuru, Mamidikuduru, Allavaram and Kapileswarapuram mandals was grim as several houses were submerged.
