Andhra Pradesh: Officials remain alert as flood threat continues in the Godavari

Villagers in Eluru & Konaseema districts panic as floods continue. Officials on alert in West Godavari, water level at Bhadrachalam 43ft, Polavaram 11.6m, SAC barrage 10.5ft. CWC warns of further rise due to upstream projects, rains & overflowing streams. Teams from Revenue, Fire, NDRF, SDRF, Medical & Transport monitoring situation. Special officers deployed in flood-prone mandals, boats ready to shift villagers if water level rises.

With the floods continuing, the villagers residing along the Godavari river bund are in panic in the Eluru and Konaseema districts. Officers on flood duty have been put on alert in the tail-end areas of West Godavari district.

The flood level at Bhadrachalam in Telangana was put at 43 feet on July 23 (Sunday). The officials here were discharging 9 lakh cusecs downstream.

The water level at Polavaram stood at about 11.6 metres, and the discharge into the sea was 8 lakh cusecs. At the Sir Arthur Cotton (SAC) barrage at Dowleswaram, the water level stood at 10.5 feet. Irrigation officials were discharging about 7.8 lakh cusecs downstream.

The officials said the first warning level was continuing (43 feet) in the Godavari, and teh flood might increase slightly by Monday morning. Instructions were given to the officers concerned take measures to prevent breaches, and evacuate people in case of an emergency.

Meanwhile, the Central Water Commission (CWC) officials said that the flood inflow might rise in the Godavari further due to release of water from the upstream projects, rains, and overflowing streams in the catchment areas.

Teams from the departments of Revenue, Fire, NDRF, SDRF, Medical, and Transport were asked to monitor the situation round the clock, particularly in the villages along the river and low-lying areas.

Special officers were deployed in the flood-prone mandals in Eluru district, and the officers were asked to monitor supply of medicines, groceries, drinking water, and vegetables to the villagers in the flood-hit habitations, said Collector V. Prasanna Venkatesh.