Hundreds of people have been evacuated from villages at risk of flooding in Andhra Pradesh, due to heavy inflows in reservoirs amid heavy rains in the Godavari river’s catchment area. A total of 1951 persons have been evacuated in Eluru district, with 1422 people accommodated in relief camps, according to the state government. The state revenue department has sanctioned funds worth Rs 12 crore towards rescue and relief operations for Godavari floods in the Alluri Sitharamaraju, East Godavari, Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema, Eluru and West Godavari districts.
So far, 5981 people in 22 villages of three mandals have been affected by the floods. People from flood-prone areas have been shifted to rehabilitation centres in the Kukunuru and Velerupadu Mandals of the Eluru district.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday, July 27, directed officials to avail the services of village and ward secretariat staff and volunteers for the Godavari flood relief measures. Funds have been sanctioned to ensure evacuation and the availability of drinking water, food and other relief material for the flood victims. Control rooms have been set up in flood-prone areas, and three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and four State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are on standby for relief measures in 458 villages of 42 Mandals in low-lying areas. Along with the rescue teams, 150 boats are also kept ready in all areas likely to be inundated.
As of 9 am on Friday, the water level in the Dowleswaram reservoir had reached an outflow of 13,63,243 cusecs, with the second level warning issued on Thursday evening. In the Bhadrachalam reservoir in Telangana, the water level was at 47.50 feet. The second level warning is issued when it crosses 48 feet. The Krishna river too is in spate, with the inflows and outflows at the Prakasam Barrage at 2.33 lakh cusecs as of 7 am on Friday morning.