Floods claim four lives in Andhra Pradesh, flow intensifies in Godavari

Floods claimed four lives in Andhra Pradesh as the flow in the Godavari has again intensified on Friday, pushing the level closer to the third danger mark at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in East Godavari district.

The flood claimed three lives in East Godavari district and another in neighbouring West Godavari, according to officials.

On the other side, river Krishna too received copious inflows bringing the Srisailam reservoir closer to its full capacity, consequent to which over 3.82 lakh cusecs of water was being discharged downstream.

After dropping to 14 lakh cusecs yesterday, the flood flow swelled to over 17.23 lakh cusecs at Cotton Barrage at Dowaleswaram on Friday afternoon and 18.52 lakh cusecs by evening, according to the Water Resources Department data.

The increased flood flow kept tens of villages in East and West Godavari districts marooned for the sixth day in a row.

More than 64,100 people have been sheltered in flood relief camps in the two districts while village volunteers have been supplying essential commodities to households in many flood-hit villages.

East Godavari district Collector Muralidhar Reddy said three people died in the flood in Yetapaka and Amalapuram divisions while another person was missing.

Also, 258 head of cattle were also killed in the flood, he said.

In Polavaram in West Godavari, the body of a woman who was swept away by surging water two days ago, was fished out on Friday.

In East Godavari, 96 houses were also damaged in the flood, as per preliminary estimates.

Farmers were pushed into misery as horticulture crops in 8,922 hectares and agriculture crops, mainly paddy, in 1,902 hectares were damaged in East Godavari district.

In West Godavari, agriculture crops in 2,440 hectares suffered damage due to inundation.

Horticulture crops in 1,273 hectares were also badly affected, according to preliminary estimates.

Full-scale enumeration of crop losses would be undertaken only after the flood recedes fully, officials said.

After touching a high of 4.17 lakh cusecs, the inflow into Srisailam on river Krishna dropped to 3.93 lakh cusecs this evening and initially 4.96 lakh cusecs was let out through 10 crest gates.

Later in the evening, the outflow was constricted to 3.82 lakh cusecs as the flood cushion in the reservoir dwindled to just 4.20 tmc ft after 211.61 tmc ft of water was impounded,sources said.

In Nagarjuna Sagar downstream, water flow increased to 4.07 lakh cusecs by late evening, consequent to which 1.67 lakh cusecs was being discharged into the Dr K L Rao Sagar at Pulichintala.

As it still has a flood cushion of over 19.09 tmc ft, no water is being released from the Dr K L Rao Sagar, though the inflow increased to 86,599 cusecs.

The Prakasam Barrage downstream in Vijayawada received an inflow of 1.27 lakh cusecs as surging water from the Muniyeru rivulet was being discharged.

Authorities have opened the Barrage gates to let out 1.14 lakh cusecs into the Bay of Bengal.