High alert is declared in 6 districts

By Our Special Correspondent

Both Godavari districts, Kakinada, Eluru, Alluri Seetharamaraju (ASR), Dr. BR Ambedkar declared high alert for 524 villages in 42 mandals of Konaseema districts on Thursday. A third warning signal can be issued at any time.

The release of water at 9:00 pm was 17.07 lakh cusecs. According to the officials, the flood is likely to cross 25 lakh cusecs by Saturday morning. Due to torrential rains in the upper catchments, the water level at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage is likely to reach 21.5 feet within the next 48 hours.

The flood water reached 35 meters at the Polavaram project spillway. The outflow from the project is more than 16 lakh cusecs.

As the flood water is increasing by the minute at Bhadrachalam, the inflow to Polavaram and then Dovaleswaram is expected to increase rapidly. Along with the agency areas of Godavari delta, Konaseema district is also likely to face flood surge.

As many as 51 river islets (lanka villages) in Konaseema were affected, whereas in Eluru, Koida and Koraturu villages of Velurupadu mandal were cut off.

Responding to Eluru District Collector Prasanna Venkatesh's request for rescue and relief operations, the Indian Navy deployed two medium-lift UH-3H helicopters from INS Dega at Visakhapatnam.

The choppers provided humanitarian assistance to the water-stressed areas at Koida (7 habitations) and Katkur (9 habitations) in Velarupadu mandal. Relief supplies including foodstuffs, medicines, milk and bread were airdropped to the villagers.

Over 2,000 kg of relief materials were distributed by helicopters operating from Rajamahendravaram Airport. Relief operations will continue on Friday. According to the AP State Disaster Management Authority, around 100 relief camps have been set up in the flood-affected districts.

Dauleshwaram Barrage Engineers said that the flood impact will be severe on 20 mandals in Konaseema district, 8 in East Godavari, 5 in ASR, 4 in West Godavari, 3 in Eluru and 2 in Kakinada.

Around 5,500 people belonging to 1,700 families in Velerupadu, Kukkunur and Polavaram mandals in Eluru have been shifted to the district administration's rehabilitation centers.

People of flood-affected villages in Rampachodavaram agency area of ​​ASR district have taken shelter on nearby hills. District Collector Sumit Kumar visited remote villages. 36,231 people were shifted to 54 resettlement centres.

Meanwhile, Tallur, Kantanur and Kothagudem tribals refused to go to the resettlement centers. Tents were pitched on the mounds as if nothing could be moved until compensation and land were received. Etapaka Police Station was knee-deep in flood water.

West Godavari Collector P. Prashanthi said that 13,694 people in 13 villages and three mandals will be affected due to floods.