As many as 10 people have died following floods in the Godavari in the past three days even as water level in the river continued to rise alarmingly, severely affecting normal life in nine districts particularly Khammam and East Godavari districts.
Eight deaths were reported in Warangal district while two were reported in Adilabad district, a senior official of the Disaster Management Department said on Sunday.
Standing crop in over 30,000 hectares was damaged besides 271 cattle deaths were reported following heavy rains and floods, he said.
Due to incessant rains in catchment areas in Maharashtra, water level in the Godavari river continued to rise at several places in Andhra Pradesh resulting in damage to 1,631 irrigation sources and 60 roads, officials said.
As the water level rose in the Godavari at temple town Bhadrachalam in Khammam district to 59.7 feet, its tributaries and rivulets overflew in down-stream areas causing damage to standing crop and properties.
Meanwhile, Revenue officials have issued third warning as water-level crossed the danger level of 53 feet at Bhadrachalam. A second warning was issued at Davaleswarm barrage in East Godavari district where water-level touched 16.15 ft as against the danger level of 17.15 ft even as lakhs of cusecs of water was discharged into the Bay of Bengal.
Over 68,000 people in 400 villages on the banks of river Godavari were affected in Adilabad, Khammam, East Godawari, West Godawari, Warangal, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Karimnagar and Nizamabad, officials said.
Hundreds of houses were submerged in the low-lying tribal villages in Khammam and Warangal districts as people were ferried through boats.
As many as 14,508 people have been evacuated to safer places and 60 medical camps were set up in the affected areas, they said.
The district administrations in flood-affected areas have already initiated relief and rescue operations besides seven launchers and eight boats were pressed into service in inundated areas of East Godavari district.
The district authorities have distributed over 16,700 food packets and 27,000 water-sachets in the affected areas.
About 11,000 people were shifted to safer places and hundreds of acres of crops damaged as flood waters inundated several villages in Khammam district.
The flood water from Godavari river inundated the villages of Cherala, Venkatapuram, Peruru and Chintur, officials said.
Meanwhile, the Met department has forecast for tomorrow light to moderate rain or thundershowers at a few places in coastal Andhra Pradesh and occurrence of isolated rain or thundershowers over Telangana and Rayalaseema regions of the State.
