Flood flow increases at Dhawaleswaram, third warning issued

AMARAVATI: The water level at Dhawaleswaram barrage near Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh touched 20.27 feet on Saturday due to constant inflows of floodwater from upstream. Consequently, the officials have released 24.57 lakh cusecs of water into the sea and have issued a third danger warning.

Personnel of the State Disaster Management Authority are constantly monitoring the situation from the State Control Room. With the flood water inflow likely to go above 28 lakh cusecs, they sounded the alert to the authorities of the adjoining districts. The authority stated that 21 mandals in Ambedkar Konaseema, nine in East Godavari, five in Alluri Sitaramaraju district, four in West Godavari, three in Eluru and two mandals in Kakinada district are likely to be affected by the floods.

The Disaster Management Organisation, besides giving instructions from the State Control Room to the officers from time to time, deployed a total of 10 NDRF and 10 SDRF teams for relief operations. So far, 279 villages in 42 mandals of six districts have been ravaged by the floods. People living in the hinterland have been advised to take adequate precautions and move to safer places.

Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Minister Ambati Rambabu also visited the Dhawaleshwaram Barrage and personally took stock of the flood situation. Special Officer Arun Kumar and District Collector Madhavi Latha accompanied him.