Telangana Rains: Godavari keeps rising, streams, tanks overflow as rains lash Kothagudem

District Collector Dr. Priyanka Ala urged the public to stay indoors and postpone their journeys as the overflowing streams and tanks pose potential risks across the district.

Kothagudem: Water level in river Godavari has been increasing rapidly at Bhadrachalam inundating the villages on its banks in the district on Thursday.

The water level reached 50.5 feet at 8 am and remained there till 9 am with a discharge of 12.86 lakh cusecs and the second warning was in force. As the streams and tanks were overflowing across the district, the public should postpone their journeys and stay indoors, district Collector Dr. Priyanka Ala said.

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Speaking to the media along with Superintendent of Police, Dr. Vineeth G, at Bhadrachalam late night on Wednesday, the Collector informed that a red alert has been declared in the district from Wednesday onwards in view of torrential rainfall.

Roads were closed in seven low-lying areas and another 15 roads would be inundated soon. Of the 2000 tanks in the district, water level in 1035 tanks reached FTL and another 500 tanks would overflow in a couple of days. People in 23 mandals should not come out unless there was an emergency, she said.

SP Dr. Vineeth informed that two NDRF teams, one at Dummugudem and another at Cherla, were available for rescue operation. 40 families at Cherla were shifted to the relief centre. People were being moved to safer places and police were available for rescue operations continuously.

Collector Dr Ala, special flood relief officer Anudeep D and SP Dr Vineeth inspected the flood situation in overflowing Kogipunjulavagu at Kattumallaram during wee hours of Thursday.

Traffic was affected on a road between Edulla Bayyaram to Karakagudem. Vehicular movement was restricted on Paloncha to Bhadrachalam route as Kinnerasani was overflowing at Nagaram Bridge. Gates of Taliperu and Kinnerasani projects were lifted to discharge excess water.

In Khammam, residents in low lying areas along river Munneru were shifted to relief centres as the flood water into several colonies on Thursday. 50 persons were shifted to the relief centres at Government Junior College and Nayabazar School in the city. District Collector VP Gautham inspected the flood affected areas and urged the residents to move to relief centres.

Police officials have barricaded overflowing roads and bridges to prevent loss of life across the erstwhile Khammam district. An extremely high rainfall of 39 cm was recorded in Karakagudem mandal in the past 24 hours.