Godavari remains above danger level at Bhadrachalam, flood level receding slowly
Kothagudem: The water level in river Godavari at Bhadrachalam in the district has been receding slowly though the water level was still above the danger level and the flood flow was above the 70 feet mark on Saturday.
At 4am in the day the water level was 71.30 feet, it came down to 70.90 feet at 8am and reached 70.30 feet at 12 noon as the gates of upstream projects were being closed with decrease in the flood flow into those projects.
Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar along with the priests of Bhadradri Temple performed ‘Ganga Harati’ and special prayers seeking divine intervention to make the flood situation turn to normalcy.
ZP Chairman K Kanakaiah, CCLA Director Rajat Kumar Saini, SCCL CMD N Sridhar, District Collector Anudeep Durishetty, Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr. Vineeth G, ITDA Project Officer P Gautham and others took part in the prayers.
The minister inspected Godavari karakatta, relief centres at Yatapaka and Kunavaram. He told the people evacuated from the flood affected areas to stay put at the rehabilitation centres for another two days as the river was still flowing above danger level.
Ajay Kumar told them that the State government has provided all facilities like food, drinking water, electricity supply and medical services at the relief centres for their comfortable stay.
He directed the SP Dr. Vineeth to ensure that vehicular traffic would be restricted on Cherla-Bhadrachalam road which was inundated with flood water. He held a meeting with the Indian Army officials who arrived at Bhadrachalam to take part in relief and rescue operations.
The minister asked the Army officials to be prepared to carry out relief measures at Yetapaka and other flood affected areas on the banks of the river Godavari. Later in the day he held a meeting with district officials and special officers on flood duty to review the measures being taken to address the flood situation and told them to be on high alert.
Officials should monitor the situation closely as the flood situation was still grim. All required measures have to be taken to restrict movement of people in areas inundated with flood waters to avoid loss of life, he suggested.
