With heavy rains in the catchment areas, the water level in the Godavari and Sabari rivers is rising every hour, according to officials.
Rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) 10th Battalion and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in the flood-affected villages in East and West Godavari, Eluru and Konaseema districts.
Communication links have snapped in some tribal habitations in the Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district. A few habitations have been cut off from the mainstream as rivulets are in spate.
Police pickets have been arranged wherever needed in the low-lying areas to prevent untoward incidents. Trees have fallen to the ground in some villages under the impact of rains that have been lashing for the last 24 hours. The Sabari is in spate at Chintur.
Meanwhile, the flood level in the Godavari at Bhadrachalam touched 43.60 feet by 6 p.m. on July 20 (Thursday), forcing the officials there to issue the first warning. About 9.60 lakh cusecs of water was being discharged downstream here.
The water level at the Polavaram spillway was put at 31.80 metres. The Irrigation Department officials discharged about 5.76 lakh cusecs into the sea.
At the Sir Arthur Cotton barrage at Dowleswaram, the flood level reached the 10 feet-mark by afternoon.
Irrigation officials will issue the second warning when the flood level reaches 48 feet at Bhadrachalam and the third at 53 feet.
Water enters temple
Water entered the Gandi Pochamma temple located on the banks of the Godavari of Devipatnam mandal in ASR district, forcing the officials to suspended darshan of the presiding deity. Villagers were advised against travelling on boats, or enter the river banks.
“Police patrolling has been arranged to prevent devotees from taking a holy dip in the river and canals that which are in spate,” said a police officer.
Speaking to The Hindu, Konaseema district Collector Himanshu Shukla said that volunteers were pressed into service to take up foot patrolling along the flood bank to identify breaches, if any, and strengthen the bund.
“We are coordinating with the officers concerned. We have instructed the police officers to be alert in the flood-affected villages,” said West Godavari district Superintendent of Police U. Ravi Prakash.
Meanwhile, officers of the Central Water Commission (CWC) said the flood level might rise further in the Godavari due to heavy rains in the upstream areas.
