Flood waters swirl in Godavari

Rajamahendravaram: With the increasing inflows into River Godavari because of heavy inflows from its catchment areas, 5.10 lakh cusecs of water is being released into the sea from Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage by Sunday evening. All the 175 gates of the barrage’s Ryali, Dowleswaram, Maddur and Vijjeswaram arms were lifted to a height of one metre to let out the flood water.

According to Godavari head works executive engineer and flood conservator R Mohan Rao, the water level at the barrage is 7.40 feet. The level at Kaleswaram is 5.40 feet, at Perur 8.88 feet, at Dummugudem 9.15 feet, at Bhadrachalam 31.4 feet, at Kunavaram 12.16 feet, at Kunta 9.55 feet, at Koyida 16.50 feet, at Polavaram 10.55 feet and at Havelock bridge 14.94 feet. As many as 10,00 cusecs of water was released into Eastern, Central and Western delta canals. 

The flood  water will decrease on Sunday night as the entire water is being releasing into the sea and the officials were directed to check the water level from time to time. The vehicle riders were asked to move on the barrage with minimum speed as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, the district administration directed the mandal officials in the downstream of river  to take care of the people residing in river islets as they were surrounded with flood water.