Heavy rains pound AP

Vijayawada: Under the influence of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, heavy rains continue to lash several parts of the State in general and coastal districts throwing the public life out of gear on Sunday.

The Indian Meteorological department (IMD) announced that the heavy to very heavy rain would continue for the next three days in several districts across the State. The rains would batter particularly south coastal districts and Rayalaseema, it said. Flood water in Krishna river reached Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada and Godavari water reached the Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram. Likewise, flood water also reached Tungabhadra reservoir following the continuous rains in the upstream of the river in Karnataka.

For the first time in the present monsoon season, the Irrigation officials lifted all the 25 gates at Prakasam Barrage to release flood water downstream. The people of the downstream areas were warned of flood water and asked them to take care of cattle, sheep and goats while grazing. The officials said that 42,000 cusecs of water is reaching Prakasam Barrage.

On Sunday, 88,270 cusecs of water reached Tungabhadra reservoir and officials are releasing 221 cusecs downstream. As against the capacity of 105 tmcft of the reservoir, the water reserve had reached 80.549 tmcft on Sunday.

With heavy floods to Godavari, the water level reached 9.7 ft at Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram prompting the officials to lift all the 175 gates by 0.2 metres releasing 1.20 lakh cusecs of water into the sea. The officials expect more flood water into Godavari. The flood water level at Bhadrachalam was recorded at 20.20 ft. The Irrigation officials are carefully watching the Godavari banks and conducting the reviews from time to time in the flood conservator's office.