Bhadrachalam, August 08: The heavy rains which have lashed Khammam district during the past few days have led to Disaster Management authorities raising the danger signal to Level-3.
According to reports coming in, the heavy inflows in the Srisailam Project have forced authorities to lift the crest gates, leading to outflows rushing in the Godavari River.
Officials have alerted downstream areas to be on alert over possible flooding in residential areas.
The overflowing waters have already flooded roads in mandals of Charla, Venkatapuram and Wazeedu. Due to back water Kondapuram bridge of Venkatapuram (M) and Cheekupalli vagu of Wazeedu (M) overflowing on the road and communication has been cut off. Road communication from Bhadrachalam to Dummugudem at kannaigudem, K .Reguballi and Gangolu villages of Dummugudem has been blocked.
Road communication from Bhadrachalam to Kunavaram blocked at Marumuru (V) and Road communication from Chinturu to VR Puram mandals was also blocked, bringing traffic to a grinding halt.
Reports of VR Puram MRO and MDO being stuck due to the gushing waters are coming in. the officials had gone to Chinna Metlapalli forest area to check for possible breaches on two-wheelers.
Efforts are on to rescue them.
Officials are also making efforts to rescue stranded farmers stuck by the rushing Godavari waters at Gollagudem in Vajeda mandal in the district with the help of boats.
Officials have shifted Ayyappa Colony residents to higher areas as flood water was inundating the locality.
Bhadrachalam and at all Tahsil offices in Bhadrachalam and Polvoncha divisions are functioning and revenue officials are closely monitoring the situation. Instructions were issued by the RDO, Bhardrachalam to all the flood duty officers ready to face the situation. Public were alerted for evacuation.
119 families (455 persons) in three Mandals (Wazeedu, Charla and Bhadrachalam) were evacuated and shifted to relief camps.
20 country boats were also engaged for evacuating the flood victims. 135 relief camps were identified and kept ready for operation. Large extent of agricultural land is inundated here.
Five fishermen ventured into sea at 4 pm on August 8 at Baruva sea shore of Sompeta Mandal missing have reached safely on Friday. As per preliminary report 6121.2 ha of paddy field covering 174 villages in 24 mandals was inundated and actual damages shall be assessed after receding the water from fields. Enumeration work is going on with respect to house damages. 28 minor irrigation tanks were breached. 1933 ha of paddy crop was damaged–Parvathipuram (333 ha) and Grugubilli (1600 ha) Mandals. 36 houses damaged due to heavy rains.
At Km 153/6 of Gudhihatnoor Utnoor-indravalli road RCC minor bridge 3 vents of 3.30 m with masonry piers, half of the pier in Danpally side down stream side collapsed. Half of the slab hanging and hence traffic interrupted and closed.
The Kadam Narayana Reddy Project, 8 gates are opened, 84,000 cusecs water released into Godavari river. The low level area tahsildars were instructed to report situation from time to time. Due to good rains, the agricultural operations and transplantation of paddy in Godavari delta are in progress. Sufficient paddy nurseries are available to transplant of main field. Subsequent monsoon rains in the State accelerated the sowings/transplanting paddy, oilseeds and cotton sowing are at its peak.
Early sown rain-fed crops are at vegetative to flowering stage. Maize is at knee height stage. Sesamum crop is at flowering to capsule formation stage. Groundnut is at vegetative to flowering stage.
———INN