50 villages trapped in water blockade

Paderu (ASR District) : Fifty villages in the Chinturu area of the Polavaram flood mandal of Alluri Sitarama Raju district are trapped in a water blockade. Hill brooks like Sokuleru, Cheekativagu, Annavaramvagu, and Koyaguru streams are flowing. In some places, the roads were washed away due to their collision.

The water level in Sabari, a tributary of Godavari is increasing due to the effect of raging streams and meanders. In various villages of VR Puram, Kunavaram and Chinturu mandals, people are moving household goods to safe places.

The flow of water at Polluru Tigris Falls is raging. Tourists are not allowed. The National Highway 326 from AP to Odisha through the agency was partially washed away at Koyaguru and the traffic stopped.

The road connection between Chinturu -VR Puram mandals has been severed. A bridge under construction between Chhattisgarh and Odisha is being used unofficially. The road being laid on it was damaged by the flood and traffic stopped.

The road between Maredumilli - Pathakota was obstructed due to an overflowing stream. Heavy flood water reached Gandi Poshamma temple at Gonduru in Devipatnam mandal.

On Saturday, more than half of the temple tower was submerged in the water. Rampachodavaram Inspector VVenkateswara Rao and Devipatnam SI Nagarjuna set up a police picket to prevent traffic in the area. Fishermen are advised not to go fishing.

The Godavari River at Bhadrachalam rose to 35.1 feet on Saturday evening. The Godavari is treading at the upper coffer dam of Polavaram.

Meanwhile, Alluri Sitarama Raju district collector AS Dinesh Kumar said officials that there is a possibility of flooding in the Chinturu division due to heavy rains and water coming from upstream in the river catchment areas.

Relief and rehabilitation measures were ordered to be taken up in the flood-affected areas. On Saturday, he held a teleconference with project officers of ITDAs, Tahsildars of flood-affected mandals and other district officials from the Collector's camp office. As soon as the first flood warning comes in Bhadrachalam, people in Chinturu Division should be ready to move to the rehabilitation centres, he said.

Collector banned the movement of heavy vehicles, buses, and private jeeps from 7 pm to 6 am in the five ghat roads of the district from Saturday. These include Vaddadi – Paderu ghat Road, Paderu – Chintapalli, Kokkarapalli ghat Road, Dounuru – Lambasinghi ghat Road, Rampachodavaram – Chinturu– Maredumilli ghat Road, S. Kota – Araku, Anantagiri ghat Road.