Flood situation easing in Bhadrachalam

Kothagudem: The flood situation in river Godavari has been easing and the water level has come down below the danger level of 53 feet at 3pm on Tuesday. The water level was 50 feet at 7 pm.

With the water level receding in the river and inundation subsiding in the flood-affected areas sanitation work was taken up on a war footing, said District Collector Anudeep Durishetty. He monitored draining out of flooded areas in Bhadrachalam town.

Heavy duty pumping motors with 1,800 hp capacity have been deployed to drain out flood water from the Vista Complex area in the town. Out of three intake wells in the river, submerged in floodwater, two were restored, he said.

Electricity supply was restored to 230 villages out of 240 villages to which power supply was disrupted due to floods. Similarly, drinking water supply was restored in 1,100 villages out of 1,300 villages where water supply was stopped and drinking water was being supplied to another 200 villages with tankers, Durishetty informed.

A household survey of flood-affected families has been going on for providing the financial assistance of Rs 10, 000 announced by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and teams engaged in the task.

Panchayat Raj Director M Hanumantha Rao informed that around 4100 workers have been engaged in sanitation work in the flood-affected villages in 45 Gram Panchayats on the banks of Godavari.

A total of 39 fogging machines and 90 spraying machines were engaged to prevent the mosquito menace. 12 JCBs 127 tractors and four specialised machines have been engaged in clearing the debris in flood-affected areas.

Director Public Health Dr. G Srinivasa Rao revealed that as many as 10, 276 persons have been tested. 106 pregnant women were shifted to Bhadrachalam Area Hospital and of them, 36 women have delivered children.

22 doctors and 670 paramedical staff offering health services to people. Around 297 high-risk areas have been identified and medical camps were being conducted in those areas, he said.

Additional DGPolice Y Nagi Reddy along with Khammam Commissioner of Police Vishnu S Warrier, SP Dr. Vineeth G, ASP B Rohith Raju visited tribal villages of Kasinagaram and others under the Dummagudem mandal.

Meanwhile, the residents in flood-affected villages have staged a protest at a relief camp at Sarapaka alleging that the local leaders were including the names of people from villages that were not affected by floods.