Second flood warning issued as Godavari rises

Rajamahendravaram : Second flood warning was issued at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram with the Godavari water-level reaching 13.75 feet (4.19 meters) at 5 pm on Wednesday. R Kasi Visweswara Rao, Executive Engineer of the Godavari Head Works Division issued the warning.

Flood duty officers have been deployed across the delta region. They have been instructed to remain alert and cautious, as the flood-levels are expected to rise further.

Rao has directed Flood Superintendents, Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs), Assistant Engineers (AEs), and other field staff to immediately assume their duties in their respective areas and stay vigilant along the Godavari River. The first flood warning was issued at 7 pm on Tuesday. Within ten hours, the flood flow increased to a level necessitating the second flood warning. In response to the rising water levels, a high alert has been declared in the Konaseema district’s Lanka villages.

By 8 pm on Wednesday, the flood flow at the SAC Barrage in Dowleswaram surpassed 15.10 feet and 4,700 cusecs of water was being released into the Delta canals, while 1,506,089 cusecs was being discharged downstream.

In response to the intensifying Godavari floods, Konaseema district joint collector T Nisha has directed special officers, local revenue staff, and secretariat personnel to be fully prepared for relief and rehabilitation efforts in the affected villages and flood-impacted areas.

On Wednesday, she visited Appan Ramuni Lanka, Sakkinetipalli Lanka, and Sakhinetipalli village to review the preparations for flood relief operations. She emphasised the need for vigilance among staff to prevent any untoward incidents and minimize damage to property and lives. She inspected the Sakhinetipalli irrigation headworks and noted that block-level in-charge officers have been appointed at each point to oversee the operations.