OMINOUS PORTENTS: The second step of the dividing wall between the scour sluice vents and the regular crust gate vents is also inundated by water with the the discharge touching 5. 3 lakh cusecs at the Prakasam Barrage on Saturday. — Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

VIJAYAWADA: Water level at Prakasam Barrage inched up to 14.4 feet with an increase of discharge here on Saturday.

The official machinery waited with bated breath throughout the day because further increase of water would inundate some vulnerable points.

Letup, at one point

There was a slight letup in the flood with water level falling to 14 feet towards the evening. The discharge fell to 5.08 lakh cusecs, but irrigation officials say that it will increase again and the water level obviously rise.

Panchayat Raj Minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy visited low-lying areas, which were inundated by the floodwaters in the morning.

Mr. Reddy told officials accompanying him that an alternative site should be found for relocating families which were currently living in houses on the wrong side of the flood bank in Krishna Lanka,

Ranigarithota and Tarakaramanagar.

Gulzar warns officials

The Minister inspected a relief camp set up at the Krishna Lanka Municipal Corporation School to review the arrangements made for distribution of drinking water, food and maintenance of sanitation.

Municipal Commissioner Natarajan Gulzar told the Minister that steps were being taken for the relocation of the families living on the riverbed.

Later, Mr. Gulzar said that stringent action would be taken against officials who were found responsible for any lapse in providing amenities to people who had been evacuated from flood affected areas.

Irrigation officials said that the decrease in discharge at the barrage did not mean that there was a letup in flood.

Srisailam reservoir was receiving nearly 5 lakh cusecs cumulatively from Jurala and Tungabadhra and all of it was being released to Nagarjunasagar.

The people living in low-lying areas should continue to be vigilant, said the officials.

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