Authorities of the Water Resources Department (WRD) lifted all the 70 gates of Prakasam Barrage and released 70,000 cusecs of water into the sea on Monday. This is the second time in this season that the gates have been lifted. About 82,161 cusecs of flood waters is reaching the barrage from the upper catchment areas. In view of increasing flood waters, the authorities have cautioned the people downstream of the barrage to take necessary precautions.
The surplus water is released into the sea by lifting 25 gates to a height of two feet and 45 gates by a height of one foot.
Water Resources Department Vijayawada Circle Superintending Engineer (SE), Sesham Tirumala Rao said most of the flood water was coming from Telangana. River Krishna received 35,752 cusecs from Keesra, 41,319 cusecs from Wazenapalli, and 5,039 cusecs from Paleru tributaries, he said. The floodwater had been rising and the department alerted the officers concerned to take precautionary steps to avoid untoward incidents downstream of the Prakasam Barrage. About 82,161 cusecs of water reached the Barrage from Khammam in Telangana.
With heavy rains in the upper catchments, Paleru, Kattaleru, Wyra, and Munneru tributaries were overflowing and the irrigation authorities released flood water into river Krishna, he said.
