High alert sounded on Godavari
Following heavy rainfall in the catchment area, the Godavari river is in spate and the first flood warning is likely to be issued at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram as the water level is expected to touch 11.75 ft with a discharge of 10 lakh cusecs of water shortly.
The water resources authorities say that water level at the barrage recorded at 7 ft with discharge of 4,61,337 cusecs of water downstream at
6.00 pm on Saturday. The second flood warning was issued at Bhadrachalam as the water level touched 48 feet with discharge of
11,46,475 cusecs of water at 5.40 pm.
Water level at Dowleswaram barrage is expected to rise in a few hours and will cross the first flood warning level of 11.75 ft by 10.00 - 11.00 pm. If the water level touches 13.75 feet at the barrage with a discharge of 13 lakh cusecs of
water, the authorities will issue the second flood warning and if the water level rises to 17.75 feet with discharge of 17 lakh cusecs of water, a third flood warning will be issued.
Meanwhile, the water resources authorities sounded alert all along the river course downstream in both East and West Godavari districts to keep watch on flood banks especially at vulnerable
places and also keep all requisite material ready to attend in case of any breach to the flood banks. As the river empties into the sea mainly at Antarvedi and Yanam, the authorities are keeping a close tab all along its course.
Godavari river conservator G. Srinivasa Rao said, “As we are expecting the water level to rise at the barrage at Dowleswaram to 11.75 ft
in a few hours from now, we will issue the first flood warning. We have alerted our personnel to be vigilant round-theclock to check slipping and erosion of flood banks if any and act swiftly to attend to them to avoid any loss of life and property.”
On the other hand, revenue authorities started evacuation of mainly women and children from river islands.