Floods take toll on road connectivity in 2 Andhra districts
RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: With the Godavari river crossing the first flood warning level at Bhadrachalam following copious inflows, a high alert has been sounded in the low-lying areas of both the Godavari districts.
As the water level at Polavaram upper cofferdam has touched 33 metres, 8 lakh cusecs was being discharged from Dowleswaram Barrage on Thursday evening. The flood impact will be severe if the water levels increase further, barrage officials feared.
The floods have severely impaired road connectivity to 20 villages from Velerupadu in West Godavari even as the water level in low lying villages is steadily increasing. Koida, Rudramkota, and Katukuru villages in Velerupadu have lost access to the mainland, and 19 villages--including Kothuru, Mamidigondi, Gajulagondi, Madhapuram, adpalli, Pidakula Mamidi, Yerravaram and Tekuru--were inundated in the Polavaram backwater. Kothur causeway is also underwater.
A similar situation prevailed in VR Puram, Devipatnam, and Kunavaram mandals of East Godavari district on Thursday. Road connectivity between Sriramagiri and Sithampeta was severely hit due to the surge in the Godavari waters, and five villages in Kunavaram mandal and four in VR Puram were submerged in floodwater.
Rampachodavaram sub-collector Katta Simhachalam told TNIE that a flood control room has been set up at the offices of the sub-collector and ITDA PO. Asking people to not cross streams, he said rehabilitation camps have been set up at Kakinada, Pothavaram, and Sitampalli for the flood-hit.
He said the Sabari river is in spate and more inflows are expected. River crossing on ferries has been banned. The control rooms can be reached at 88642-42057 and 88642-43561. A few tribal families moved to the hilly areas and erected tents.
West Godavari collector Kartikeya Mishra directed Narsapuram, Kovvur and Jangareddygudem revenue officials to relocate people from the low-lying areas and provide them with vegetables and other essential commodities.