Kothagudem: Officials ring alert as Godavari level rises again

Kothagudem: Water level in Godavari River at Bhadrachalam in the district has been rising with heavy rains in its upper catchment areas for the past few days.

The water level which was at 39.50 feet at 8 am reached 44.50 feet in the evening on Monday which prompted officials to announce first warning.

Many streams were overflowing following the torrential rains in the erstwhile Kothagudem district.

District Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar ordered officials to take precautions in all mandals and immediately shift the people who are living in low-lying areas in villages. He talked to the district Collector and SP over phone from Hyderabad and enquired about the situations.

District Collector Anudeep Durishetty alerted both officials and the people living on the banks of Godavari in view of increasing water level in the river. Water discharge at Bhadrachalam is expected to reach nine lakh cusecs, he said in a statement on Monday.

He said that control rooms have been set up at the collectorate with emergency number: 08744-241950 and at Bhadrachalam sub collector's office with a number: 08743-232444. People could call the control rooms for emergency services. He conducted a review meeting at Sub Collector office and ordered officials to not leave head quarters until the flood recedes.

Superintendent of Police Dr. Vineeth G also told the public to be alert as the streams and rivulets were overflowing. He cautioned the public against touching electric poles and farmers to be cautious while operating irrigation pumps. In case of emergency people should dial 100 for assistance, he said.

In the past 24-hours 13 mandals in Kothagudem district received light to heavy rains while there was no rains in four mandals. A rainfall of 4.5 cm was recorded in Dummugudem mandal, 3.9 cm in Gundala, Cherla, Aswapuram and Manugur recorded a rainfall of above 2 cm.

In Khammam, though weather remained cloudy, there was no rainfall in 19 mandals and two mandals-- Khammam Rural and Tirumalayapalem --received very light rain.

Coal production in SCCL opencast mines in Kothagudem, Yellandu, Manugur and Sathupalli was yet to resume due to inundation in the mines.