Six districts hit as River Godavari continues to be in spate

Rajamahendravaram(East Godavari District): The floodwater of River Godavari is swallowing the banks. The gushing waters crossed the embankments at many places including Rajahmundry city and in Kovvur mandal and entered into villages and submerged houses.

Even though more than 25.29 lakh cusecs of water has been released into the sea on Saturday from the 175 gates of Dowleswaram Barrage.

The effect of the floods is visible in 8 mandals of East Godavari district. A third warning still continues in the upper area of Bhadrachalam and the same is also in force in Dowleswaram from Friday.

There is panic among people along the 123-km stretch of River Godavari in the district. Collector K Madhavi Latha said that 47 mobile patrol teams are constantly monitoring the embankments and the gates of all the city drains have been closed.

Navy personnel have been brought in for flood relief operations. But the Akhanda Godavari is already overflowing in many places over the bunds and ghats.

The steps and temples located near the Pushkar Ghat here were inundated. The tourism boats parked at the Sraddhananda ghat were flooded. The entire Wigram Ghat was submerged in floodwater. As the leakage was found, they blocked it with sandbags. Temples at Kovvuru Goshpada Ghat were also inundated.

Godavari water has entered the streets in the Seshaiah Metta area of Rajahmundry city. Roads and houses were submerged in floodwater in Kovvur mandal.

Officials estimate that the flood has had a severe impact on 460 villages in six districts so far. This number is likely to increase. District machinery has identified hazardous conditions in 13 villages of 8 mandals in East Godavari district.

Shifting people to relief camps or safer places in disaster areas is also becoming a problem. Officials say that many are staying in the floodwaters and not coming to the rehabilitation centers even though they are aware of the danger. People do not want to leave the town because of the fear of thefts and losing their belongings.

Authorities say that 220 relief camps have been set up in the six districts affected by the Godavari floods so far and as many as 62,397 people have been shifted to them. It is estimated that roads to a stretch of 270 km were damaged were damaged in the district. Valuable motors and pumps have been shifted to a safer place after the lift irrigation scheme built at a cost of Rs 1600 crore sank in floodwaters at Purushottapatnam of Seethanagaram mandal in the district.