KAKINADA: As many as 2,219 people from 19 flood-affected villages of Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district have been shifted to 19 relief camps, district Collector Himanshu Shukla said. He added that food, medicine and drinking water are being provided to the people at the camps.
Although the floodwater level in the River Godavari at the Dowleswaram Barrage has started to recede, the second warning is still in force.“Situation might worsen if upper catchment areas of the river experience heavy rainfall,” said flood conservator of the barrage R Kasi Visveswara Rao. High alert continued in six districts of Konaseema, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Eluru, Kakinada, East and West Godavari.
In Konaseema, Appanaramuni Lanka in Sakhinetipalli mandal was completely submerged, forcing people to travel by boat. Officials said paddy crops in 542 hectares and horticulture crops in 378 hectares were affected by the deluge. They added that enumeration of losses will be done after the flood recedes.
“All the district officials have been alerted to prevent loss of lives and livestock in the district. Rehabilitation centres have been readied. Officials at control rooms are closely monitoring the situation,” Shukla explained.
P Gannavaram, Mamidikuduru and Ainavilli mandals in Konaseema district are still inundated. The rising floodwater has resulted in Ganti Pedapudi Lanka, Arigelvari Lanka, and Burugulanka villages being cut off from the rest of the world. “Every year, villagers of Ubalanka and Thokalapalem are affected by the floods for three months. Commuting via roads becomes impossible. So, we always have to travel by local boats to fields or schools,” Ketha Srinu from Thokalapalem rued.
“In case of a medical emergency, for instance, a pregnant woman goes into labour, we have no other option but to depend on boats to go to the nearest health centre. Schoolchildren are also forced to travel on boats to go to school,” Gutthula Pullayya from Ubalanka lamented.