Amaravati: Island villages in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari and West Godavari districts were inundated due to flood fury in the Godavari River.
Road connectivity to some island villages (‘Lanka villages’) was also snapped due to the floods.
The water level at Dowleswaram Cotton Barrage near Rajahmundry on Wednesday evening rose to 13.6 feet. Authorities were preparing to issue a second flood warning as the water level is likely to increase further.
Authorities were releasing 12.61 lakh cusecs of water into the sea. Officials say Godavari was receiving huge inflows as its tributaries in Maharashtra, Telangana, Dandakarnya, and adjoining areas were overflowing.
Water level at Bhadrachalam in Telangana rose to 44.90 feet on Wednesday evening. According to Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) Managing Director, Prakhar Jain, the inflows at Dowleswaram Barrage were 12.72 lakh cusecs.
The Godavari delta and Polavaram backwater regions have been placed on high alert due to heavy inflows inundating low-lying areas of Eluru, Alluri Sitaramaraju, Konaseema, and East and West Godavari districts.
Meanwhile, the Krishna River was also receiving heavy inflows. According to the APSDMA, the inflows at Prakasam Barrage at Vijayawada were 6.08 lakh cusecs, and the second flood warning continues there.
The officials have advised people in low-lying areas to remain alert till the floods completely subside.
Andhra Pradesh Revenue Minister Anagani Satyaprasad held a review meeting with officials in Bapatla district on the floods in the Krishna River.
He directed officials to be on alert and shift people from low-lying areas to relief camps.
In view of the floods in the Krishna River, authorities have cancelled Hamsa Vahana Teppotsavam (float festival).
The decorated boat sails on the Godavari on Vijaya Dasami to mark the end of the Dasara celebrations on Indirakiladri.
The Irrigation Department has refused to give a ‘No Objection Certificate’ for Tesspotsavam in view of the floods.
Meanwhile, the low-pressure area in the west-central Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm and is likely to move in a north-northwest direction and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm. On Wednesday evening, it was centred approximately 400 km from Visakhapatnam, 420 km from Gopalpur (Odisha), and 500 km from Paradip (Odisha).
Under its influence, heavy rainfall is likely in some areas of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, Visakhapatnam, and Anakapalli districts on Thursday.
Light to moderate rains are likely in Alluri Sitaramaraju, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, and Prakasam districts.
(IANS)
