Rain havoc in Khammam, Kothagudem districts
19 gates of Taliperu project at Cherla were lifted on Monday
Khammam: Incessant rains played havoc in erstwhile Khammam district. Normal life was disturbed in both Khammam and Kothagudem districts. It has also affected the farm operations.
Due to copious rains streams and tanks were overflowing in both the districts. About 11.9 cm and 8.3 cm of rainfall was recorded at Mandalapalli and Naidupeta of Dammapet mandal in Kothagudem district. As a result many low-lying areas in Khammam town and other mandals were inundated with rainwater. Gangaram of Sathupalli mandal in Khammam district received 7.5 cm rainfall. Six mandals in the district received above 5 cm rainfall in Khammam district. Around 15 tribal villages in Gundala and Allapalli mandals were cut off from the outside world as Kinnerasani, Kodipunjula, Mallanna and other streams were overflowing in Kothagudem district.
Transport facilities between the villages under Penuballi and Gangapadu mandals in Khammam district got disrupted.
Traffic was not allowed on the roads of Lingala - Dornakal and Khammam - Dornakal due to overflowing of Buggavagu as a precautionary measure.
Similar situation prevailed in Aswaraopet and Dammapet mandals while Mallaiahkunta tank at Mushtibanda breached in Dammapet mandal inundating around 100 acres of paddy fields in its areas.
Meanwhile, coal production in SCCL's opencast mines at Sathupalli, Yellandu, Kothagudem and Manugur areas was affected due to waterlogging in the mines.
Irrigation officials lifted 19 gates at Taliperu medium irrigation project in Cherla mandal for free flow on Monday discharging 74, 858 cusecs of excess water downstream as the reservoir was receiving 70, 524 cusecs inflow due to rainfall in its catchment area. On the other side the officers were releasing excess water from the Kinnersani reservoir at Palvoncha.
The water level in River Godavari at Bhadrachalam reached 36.10 feet in the evening hours of Monday. Due to heavy rains in the upper catchment areas the flood water is likely to touch 43 feet, according to officials. Kothagudem District Collector Anudeep Durishetty alerted all the mandal officers to monitor the flood situation.