Godavari in spate near Bhadrachalam, tributaries swelling

HYDERABAD: The irrigation authorities are keeping a watchful eye on the temple town of Bhadrachalam with the Godavari water reaching a precarious level of 41.3 feet at noon on Thursday.

A first danger level will be declared if the water levels reach 43 feet, the second when the water level reaches 48 feet and a third warning when the water level reaches 53 feet.

Godavari levels are increasing because of heavy inflows from Taliperu and Medigadda. District Collector Priyanka already alerted the authorities to be prepared to evacuate people from low-lying areas of the town.

On the other hand, projects on River Godavari continued to receive heavy inflows. Yellampally is receiving 10,049 cusecs and SRSP is receiving 18,261 cusecs as of Thursday morning. With heavy floods reaching the Lakshmi (Medigadda) barrage of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) 57 gates out of 85 gates were lifted and water is left down the stream.

Projects on River Krishna are also receiving moderate inflows with Alamatti in Karnataka receiving massive inflows of 32,146 cusecs from upper catchment areas. Nagarjuna Sagar received 4,583 cusecs on Thursday morning.

Irrigation authorities lifted three gates of the Komram Bhim project on the Peddavagu River, a tributary of Pranahitha, in the Asifabad district and 3,146 cusecs of water is released down the stream. The water level in the project is 243 feet on Thursday morning against the total capacity of 243 feet.

Asifabad irrigation department warned people living on the banks of the Peddavgu and its command area of possible flooding of low-lying areas.

Meanwhile, the Kinnerasani project in Bhadradri Kothagudem District is brimming with heavy inflows of 20,000 cusecs from the Allapalli and Gundala projects. The project which has a capacity of 407 feet is currently holding 400.3 feet of water. Project gates can be lifted at any time to release flood water.

Twin Reservoirs Water Levels:

Date: 20-07-2023 @ 06.00 PM

1.Osman Sagar: FTL : 1790.00 Feet(3.900 TMC)

Present level: 1783.85Feet (2.642 TMC)

Inflows: NIL

2. Himayat Sagar: FTL: 1763.50 Feet(2.970 TMC)

Present Level: 1760.00 (2.286 TMC)

Inflows: NIL