Normal life restored in rain-hit villages

​Kothagudem: People heaved a sigh of relief from the incessant rains that lashed the district for the last three days under the influence of a low-pressure area formed in the Bay of Bengal. People resumed their routine on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the water level in the River Godavari, which measured 24.5 feet at 6 am on Wednesday, receded to 21 feet by 6 pm.

The government machinery became alert with the weather bulletin released by Met officials. A control room was set up at RDO office in Bhadrachalam.

District Collector Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu said the officials were ready to tackle any kind of exigency. He also said buffer stock was ready.

Minor projects like Kinnerasani and Taliperu were filled with flood water. Taliperu project gates were lifted and one lakh cusecs water was released in to the Godavari.

RDO Sivanarayana Reddy visited the Taliperu project to examine the floods intensity. He discussed the precautions to be taken with the officials concerned in case the floods increase again.

Kinnerasani project was filled to the brim. Water from Peddavagu project in Aswaraopet mandal was released on Tuesday and the gates were closed the same day.

Meanwhile, the heavy downpour became a hurdle for coal production in open cast mines. About 90,000 tonnes of coal production came to halt in three days at Kothagudem, Manuguru and Yellandu areas. However, the production resumed on Wednesday.

Usually about 5,000 devotees visit Bhadradri temple in a day on an average. Because of rains, the number of pilgrims decreased to an average 1,500 in the past three days.

This had a huge effect on petty vendors doing business near and around the temple. A few even shut their shops during this period.