Third flood warning issued as Godavari crosses 53 ft at Bhadrachalam
A third flood warning was issued after the Godavari rose to 56.10 feet at Bhadrachalam, disrupting road connectivity and inundating low-lying areas. Authorities urged residents in vulnerable villages to move to relief centres as farmers complained of crop losses due to flooding.
Kothagudem: Third warning has been issued as river Godavari crossed 53 feet (third warning level) at Bhadrachalam in the district on Saturday.
The river has been flowing at 56.10 feet level with a discharge of 15.96 lakh cusecs at 11 am. The rising flood flow affected transportation in many low lying villages in different mandals on the banks of the river.
Traffic has come to a halt on the main road connecting Bhadrachalam with Dummugudem and Cherla mandals as the flood waters inundated the road at Thurubaka. Traffic to the Chintoor, Kunavaram and VR Puram mandals in Andhra Pradesh has been disrupted after floodwaters accumulated on the main road at Murumuru, which connects Bhadrachalam to the mandals.
Collector Ankit inspecting flood situation at Bhadrachalam in Kothagudem.
On Saturday morning, District Collector Ankit inspected the Godavari bathing ghats, the flood embankment area, and the flood situation along the Bhadrachalam-Kunavaram main road. A temporary barrier across Kunavaram road near Godavari flood embankment has been laid to prevent floodwaters from entering the town.
On the other hand, the farmers complained that Godavari floodwaters seeped into agricultural fields due to leaks in the sluices of the newly constructed embankment on Kunavaram Road. Farmers from Shantinagar Colony contacted the irrigation department to address the issue.
The locals said that the irrigation department had transported sand for three days claiming it was for use during the floods, but the officials who initially promised to supply sandbags, subsequently failed to take action allowing floodwaters to inundate the crops.
Farmers warned that if irrigation department officials do not respond immediately, they would block the vehicles from transporting sand from the Kunavaram road site.
District Collector Ankit inspected the flood situation at Godavari bathing ghats, flood embankment area in Bhadrachalam and on Bhadrachalam–Kunavaram main road on Saturday. He directed the district officials to remain vigilant and to work in coordination.
The Collector told residents of flood-prone villages to move to relief centres without delay and strictly follow official instructions to avoid endangering their lives. He advised them to carry essential items such as medicines, drinking water, important documents and others with them.
