HYDERABAD: An estimated 990 villages and island habitations remained under a sheet of water in Khammam, East and West Godavari and Adilabad districts, despite the Godavari and all its tributaries falling below danger levels on Wednesday.

Life continued to be difficult for those spending days on roof-tops in fully submerged areas or in partially damaged houses. Relief operations are in full swing now, with the 11 helicopters and the numerous launches and boats, deployed in Bhadrachalam and Konaseema areas, mainly concentrating on airdropping food and water packets.

Massive kitchens

Revenue offices turned into massive kitchens with large quantities of cooked food being prepared there.Officials manning the State Control Room here said the choppers are making sorties till sunset to reach out to the islands in the Konaseema estuary where people are still stranded. At the 442 relief camps, 20 kg of rice and five litres of kerosene are being distributed to each family. Cooked food is being served to those who do not want to prepare their meal.

Meanwhile, the level of Godavari receded below the danger mark to 52.5 ft at Bhadrachalam and was on a downward trend at Kaleswaram, Perur, Dummagudem, Coonavaram and Dowlaiswaram.

Its tributaries, including Pranahita, Indravathi, Sabari, Penn Ganga fell below their danger levels.

A Central Water Commission official said the Godavari may rise slightly again due to rains in Maharashtra, but "will not reach 66.9 ft level at Bhadrachalam as seen on Sunday".

Meanwhile, 5,680 villages have been identified as affected. Disaster Management Commissioner Debabrata Kantha said the Government would commence enumeration of the damage for payment of compensation against houses and crops damaged and for allowing seeds subsidy once the water recedes.

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