Over 4,000 People Shifted in 2 Districts as Krishna, Godavari in Spate in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati (AP): More than 4,200 people have been moved to relief camps as the Krishna River is in spate, causing floods and affecting life in severals mandals of Guntur and Krishna districts in Andhra Pradesh on Friday, authorities said.

A second warning was issued at the Prakasam Barrage across Krisha river in Vijayawda which was carrying over seven lakh cusecs of waters.

River Godavari also saw a revival in flood surge on Friday with 7.34 lakh cusecs of water flowing into the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowaleswaram.

One person was reported dead in Guntur district in the Krishna flood, according to the State Disaster Management Authority.

The flood flow is expected to cross eight lakh cusecs on Friday night and, accordingly, authorities have issued an alert in the two districts.

The Puligadda aqueduct at Avanigadda is overflowing, cutting off the road network in the Diviseema region of Krishna district.

National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response and Fire Services personnel have been deployed in Krishna and Guntur districts for rescue and relief operations.

Authorities opened eight relief camps in Guntur district and shifted 1,619 persons while 10 were opened in Krishna district for 2,677 people, the SDMA said.

Dachepalli, Machavaram, Gurazala, Atchampeta, Amaravati, Tulluru mandals in the downstream of Dr KL Rao Sagar Pulichintala in Guntur district were affected by the flood.

From Pulichintala, 8.01 lakh cusecs of water was being discharged downstream resulting in an inflow of 7.57 lakh cusecs at Prakasam Barrage.

From the barrage, 7.63 lakh cusecs of water is being let out into the Bay of Bengal.

Consequent to the flood surge at Prakasam Barrage, downstream mandals like Tadepalli, Duggirala, Kolluru, Bhattiprolu and Repalle in Guntur district have been largely affected.

Also, the low-lying areas in Vijayawada city, villages in Thotlavalluru and Avanigadda mandals in Krishna district were marooned.

The SDMA said 537 houses were marooned in Guntur district and 315 in Krishna.

Crops have been inundated in 935 hectares and 678 hectares in Krishna and Guntur districts respectively according to the SDMA.

Meanwhile, after receding for the last four days, flood in Godavari increased suddenly on Friday, trapping scores of villages in Devipatnam and Polavaram mandals in East and West Godavari districts in water.

With more water flowing from the upstream, the flood level in Godavari was expected to increase, officials said.