Srikakulam: Paddy crop damaged in several mandals

Srikakulam: Floodwater started receding in rivers Vamsadhara and Nagavali and also irrigation projects on Wednesday.

Following the heavy rains due to Cyclone Gulab, rivers, streams, rivulets and irrigation projects, Thotapalli and Madduvalasa reservoirs and Gotta barrage received heavy inflows. From Wednesday morning, floodwater level and inflows started receding in the rivers and projects across the district.

Thotapalli barrage full water level is 105 metres and by Wednesday evening the water level stood at 103.80 metres which is the allowed level. Gotta barrage full pond level is 38.10 metres and the water level has gone down to 34.36 metres which is the permitted level.

Madduvalasa full reservoir level is 65 metres and the water level has receded to 63.90 metres which is an accepted storage level. Paddy crops were damaged in several villages in Sarubujjili, Burja, L N Peta, Ponduru, Santhakaviti, Amudalavalasa, Vangara, Jalumuru, Narasannapeta and other mandals due to inundation of paddy under floodwater.

Nellimetta village in Ponduru mandal and Allena village in Burja mandal are still submerged in Nagavali floodwater, Koppara, Geethanapalli and K Chakarapalli villages in Vangara mandal are submerged in the floodwater of Madduvalasa reservoir.

Agriculture and horticulture officials and staff have started enumeration of crop damage in the cyclone-affected mandals across the district on Wednesday. Due to floodwater and collapsing of trees, roads which are under the control of R and B Department have collapsed. The damage caused is estimated to be Rs 32.07 crore.

In the electricity department, the loss estimated is Rs 5.3 crore as 104 sub-stations were affected, 463 power supply feeders and total 513 electric poles were damaged due to cyclone. "We will finish enumeration of entire damage for crops and other areas within two days and report the same to government," District Collector Shrikesh B Lathkar explained.