GUNTUR: A flood alert has been issued upstream and downstream of Prakasam Barrage in NTR, Krishna, Palnadu and Guntur districts, given the rising water level in the Krishna river.
Following heavy inflows from the upper catchment areas, the Srisailam and the Nagarjuna Sagar projects were filled to the brim, and the surplus water was released downstream.
The outflow from the Srisailam reservoir was at the discharge rate of 4,03,455 cusecs. With the Nagarjuna Sagar filled up to the full reservoir capacity, around 3 lakh cusecs of surplus water is being released to the Pulichintala project downstream.
Speaking to TNIE, Pulichintala project Superintending Engineer S Ramakrishna said, “With the project receiving over 1.5 lakh cusecs of inflow, it is likely to reach the full reservoir capacity of 53.34 TMC by Wednesday morning. The discharge rate from the Pulichintala project has stood at 34,000 cusecs now, which will be increased to 3 lakh cusecs or more depending upon the inflows from the Nagarjuna Sagar in next couple of days.”
As of Tuesday evening, the water level was at 43.50 metres with 3.88 lakh cusecs of inflows. The surplus water will be released downstream after the Prakasam Barrage is filled to the brim.
56 boats and 100 skilled divers deployed
“Initially, floodwater discharge is 10,000 cusecs, it will be increased to around 3 lakh cusecs depending upon the inflows,” the project authorities said, alerting the people living on the Krishna river banks upstream and downstream of Prakasam Barrage about the flood threat.
The Bapatla district administration has been directed to gear up to evacuate people from the villages adjacent to the river in case of floods. Joint Collector B Subba Rao inspected the rehabilitation centre at Pesarlanka village in Kollur mandal. Six villages in Kollur mandal, including Aravinda Varadhi, Pesarlanka, and Chilumurulanka, are likely to be flooded. The officials have readied 56 boats and deployed 100 skilled divers to shift the people from low-lying areas to rehabilitation centres.