Flood threat in Krishna, Guntur looms large 

Heavy inflows into projects on Krishna river; 70 gates of Prakasam Barrage lifted to let out 2.67L cusecs of floodwater
Residents of Taraka Rama Nagar in Vijayawada carry their belongings as floodwater entered their houses
Residents of Taraka Rama Nagar in Vijayawada carry their belongings as floodwater entered their houses

VIJAYAWADA/ELURU/KAKINADA/KURNOOL : As floods in Godavari river started receding, all warnings issued at Dowleswaram Barrage in Rajamahendravaram were withdrawn by Wednesday evening. However, heavy inflows continued at projects across the State on Krishna. As such, people in low-lying areas of Krishna and Guntur districts were put on alert.

Till 6 pm, the barrage spewed 9,27,797 cusecs of floodwater. Due to a sharp fall in the inflows from the upstream, irrigation officials said they expected the water levels to further decrease in the next 48 hours. 
In Polavaram, numerous people complained that neither government officials nor doctors had visited their villages, leave alone alerting them of the floods beforehand. They pointed out there were no efforts taken to clear the obstruction at Kademma Sluice, resulting in floodwater from the streams flowing back to the agriculture fields. 

NDRF personnel rescue a man who
fell into Krishna river from Prakasam
Barrage | P Ravindra Babu/Express

Meanwhile, the situation in flood-hit Devipatnam mandal of East Godavari district was no different. The district administration said they were doing everything to restore normalcy at the earliest.  State Disaster Management commissioner K Kanna Babu said his department was closely monitoring the situation since the flood flow in the Godavari increased, and that losses due to the flood were still being assessed. As per preliminary reports, 18,687 houses sustained damages and the owners will be extended `5,000 as help, for which the State government has released `10.9 crore, he added.  

Meanwhile, inflows into Sunkesula Barrage on Tungabhadra river in Kurnool, and Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala projects, which appeared to be subsiding in the morning, picked up again with the release of large volumes of water from Tungabhadra dam and Srisailam Project on Tuesday.

All 70 gates of Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada were lifted to let out 2.67 lakh cusecs of floodwater, resulting in the low-lying areas of Krishna Lanka getting inundated once again, paralysing normal life. A large number of residents of Taraka Rama Nagar, Geeta Nagar and Ramalingeswara Nagar were seen carrying their household articles as they waded to safer locations.

Almost two weeks ago, nearly 8 lakh cusecs of water was released from the barrage in Vijayawada, and residents in low-lying areas were shifted to rehabilitation centres. Soon after the floodwater receded, the residents were shifted back to their houses in the flood-prone region. On Tuesday, VMC’s sanitation staff swung into action and initiated anti-larval operations, as cases of viral fevers were reported in the city.

Krishna Collector A Md Imtiaz on the day conducted a ground-level inspection. So far, 2.67 lakh cusecs of water has been released downstream from Prakasam Barrage and the number may increase up to 3 lakh cusecs during the intervening hours of Wednesday and Thursday, he said.

Krishna in spate once again
66,176 cusecs  discharged from Sunkesula Barrage
3,03,360 cusecs discharged from Srisaialm dam
3,51,051 cusecs discharged from Nagarjuna Sagar dam
3,29,054 cusecs discharged from Pulichintala project
2.67L cusecs discharged from Prakasam Barrage

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