Godavari flood surge continues; 2nd warning issued at Dowleswaram

Rajamahendravaram : River Godavari River has surged to alarming levels once again at the Dowleswaram Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage (SACB), prompting a second flood warning. After a 2-day period of receding, the floodwaters have returned with renewed intensity due to upstream flows.

As of 3 pm on Saturday, Godavari Head Works executive engineer R Kasi Visweswara Rao issued the second warning alert, noting that the flood level had reached 13.75 feet at SACB. Flood duty officers have been deployed according to the second warning protocol. By 7 pm, the flood level had increased to 14 feet. As much as 9,500 cusecs of water was being released into the delta canals, while 13,20,274 cusecs was flowing into the sea.

A third flood warning was also issued for Bhadrachalam, where the flood level has reached 53 feet at 5 pm on Saturday. Consequently, traffic between Chinturu-Bhadrachalam and Yetapaka-Bhadrachalam has been halted. From the Donkarai reservoir, 8,748 cusecs of water was being released through four gates, which will likely increase the flood levels at Kunavaram as this flow reaches the Sabari River.

Collector A S Dinesh Kumar reported that essential supplies such as rice, vegetables, oils, tarpaulins, mosquito nets, kerosene and torch lights have been distributed to flood victims in the wake of the Godavari-Sabari floods. Residents of low-lying areas were urged to remain vigilant due to the rising water levels. Officials are relocating residents from affected mandals including Etapaka, Koonavaram, Chintoor and VR Puram to rehabilitation centres. Additionally, the Collector of Alluri Sitharama Raju district has announced indefinite holidays for schools in the flooded mandals due to the ongoing rains and floods.