Flood fury continues in AP, panchayat polls postponed

Following flood fury, the State Election Commission (SEC) has postponed the elections to 298 panchayats of Andhra Pradesh, scheduled for Monday, to July 31.

A decision in this regard was taken on Sunday after reviewing the flood situation in Karimnagar, Adilabad, Khammam, Nizamabad and East Godavari districts. While water levels of Godavari and its tributaries remained stable throughout Sunday, the situation in Godavari districts down the stream remained grim.

Over 1,300 people, from Konaseema and Devipatnam areas have been shifted to rehabilitation camps in East Godavari district after water level of Godavari river at Dowleswaram barrage rose alarmingly following heavy rain.

A second flood alert was issued on Saturday. About 30 island habitations in estuary were cut off when all 175 shutters of the barrage were lifted by the authorities.
District collector Neetu Kumar Prasad and senior officials and police officers visited the flood-affected areas in the district on Sunday and measures have been initiated to prevent further damage.

Over 17 lakh cusecs water was is charged to sea as Godavari at Dowleswaram was registering heavy inflows due to rains in the catchment areas. Villagers are still using makeshift rafts to move around, while schools were shut and fishermen were asked not to venture into the river.

Despite some respite in the shape of decreased rain fall since Saturday, water levels of Godavari and its tributaries, the Pranahita, Penn Ganga, Sabari and Taliperu remained high.

Chief Minister N Kirankumar Reddy reviewed the situation at the secretariat as another low pressure atmosphere has formed over the Bay of Bengal close to Odisha coast, indicating more rains in the next 48 hours.

Life was affected in many villages in the north Telangana region as they remained water-logged or marooned and complaints poured into the control room about non-availability of food and drinking water.

Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy said two helicopters, stationed at Bhadrachalam and Mancherial, made sorties throughout the day airdropping food packets.