Andhra Pradesh   

Flood threat to delta; Krishna, Godavari in spate

Special Correspondent

Heavy rain in catchment areas; Nidadavolu town under water

HYDERABAD: Although there was respite from the heavy rain, except in the north coastal Andhra districts, the threat of floods in the delta did not recede as the Godavari and Krishna and their tributaries remained in spate on Thursday.

Konaseema in East Godavari district and Diviseema in Krishna were bracing for further floods due to heavy rains in the Godavari's catchment in Maharashtra and flash floods in its tributaries. Similarly, the release of a huge quantity of water from the Prakasam barrage in Vijayawada following heavy discharges from its intermittent catchment continues to compound the misery of people in Diviseema.

Nidadavolu, a municipal town in West Godavari district, and 10 nearby villages remained under several feet of water due to floods in the Yerra Kalva which had claimed several lives earlier this week. As many as 15 out of the 28 municipal wards in this town remained submerged.

The railway track on the Nidadavole-Tadepalligudem section breached at five to six points resulting in cancellation of several passenger and express trains on the route. The Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) also suspended bus services between Nidadavole and Tadepalligudem. However, the train movement on the North-South corridor, disrupted for 48 hours due to floods near Dornakal, was partly restored in the early hours on Thursday. Dornakal town itself was limping back to normalcy after being paralysed by heavy rains on Wednesday.

Irrigation officials have said that 15 embankments of Godavari in the delta are vulnerable in case flood level increase in the coming days.

Flood banks in five places are already slipping or suffering erosion but there is no cause for immediate concern. Officials said sufficient number of sand bags have been positioned to meet any eventuality. Their immediate of concern is the release of four lakh cusecs of water from the Sriramsagar project in Nizamabad district which will raise the water levels at Dowlaiswaram.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy reviewed the relief operations at a teleconference with the Collectors of the 12 flood-affected districts.

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