Bhadrachalam: Flood level crosses third warning level

Bhadrachalam: Godavari river continues to be in spate here and the waters are flowing above the third danger warning level of 53 feet and at 5 pm the flood level was at 54 feet on Monday. It is the fifth time the floods crossed the warning level in the month of July here. According to Central Water Commission officials, the flood level is on the rise as huge inflows are entering the river in the upper catchment area. The officials are releasing 54,973 cusecs into the river by opening 22 gates at Taliperu project.

The swirling waters have inundated hundreds of villages along Godavari and submerged crops in thousands of acres. The district administration has -alerted the low lying areas people and making arrangements to shift them to relief camps. The flood water overflow on roads severely hit transportation in several mandals and Palvoncha Cherla Dummagudem and Kunavaram were cut off from Bhadrachalam.

Bathing ghats, annadanam area are under back water in Bhadrachalam. People in temple surroundings and along the river banks are in the grip of fear. Minister for Transport Puvvada Ajay Kumar, District Collector Anudeep D, SP G Vineeth and others visited flood-affected areas and supervised the relief operations.

The officials shifted nearly 180 people to flood shelters at Bhadrachalam. According the sources, nearly 50 villages under the mandals of Dummagudem, Cherla, and Manuguru were bearing the brunt of floods. The officials are taking steps to shift the vulnerable to safe places. Control rooms have been opened in Bhadrachalam and Kothagudem to monitor the flood situation and coordinate relief and rescue operations.

Munneru river in Khammam is overflowing well and the people are facing hardships as water entered many colonies in Khammam town.