Normal life has been paralysed and people living in habitations along the Godavari in Eturunagaram and Mangapet mandals are gripped by fear as the river was in spate since Sunday night.
As the water level crossed the normal level at Ramannagudem in Eturunagaram mandal, the officials issued second warning level and were keenly watching the situation.
The first warning level was issued as water reached 7.5 metres in the early hours, and the second warning was issued in the afternoon with the flow touching 9.96 metres.
At 11 metres, the third warning would be issued and evacuation of people would begin.
District Collector Vakati Karuna said the flood is likely to increase with continuous rains upstream in Maharashatra. “We are ready to meet all exigencies and we may issue third warning late in the night as the flow is increasing,” she told The Hindu .
Meanwhile, the movement between Ramannagudem and Rampur was cut off due to overflowing of Jeedivagu. A resident of Eturunagaram, Vasantha Ramesh said the flow of river Godavari is likely to increase and third warning level might be issued late night.
“This is terrible time for people in habitations along the Godavari. Several hamlets remained cut off for days and people are really having a tough time,” he said.
Several villages - Ramnagar, Ellapur, Papbkapur, Koyaguda and Lambadi thanda were inundated in flood waters and remain inaccessible.
The Pushkar Ghat at Mangapet was washed away in flood waters. The flood water sieved through the banks cutting off huge chunk of land in habitations on the river banks, leaving people shaken.
The Godavari water level reached 84 feet at Devadula pumping station at Gangaram village.
There was continuous drizzle all over the district and the district registered a rainfall of 57.6 mm. A total of 21 mandals received more than 20 mm rainfall during the past 24 hours.
Heavy inflows
In neighbouring Karimnagar district, the river is in spate at Sri Kaleshwara Muktheeshwara Swamy Devasthanam in Kaleshwaram mandal of Mahadevpur mandal in Karimnagar district on Monday. Following the heavy inflows into the Pranahita river, which merges with Godavari river at Kaleshwaram, the water level reached 10 metres height at the temple shrine.
The first warning sign would be announced only if the water table reaches 12 metres height at the temple bathing ghats. In the meantime, around 15 villages were cut from the rest of the world following the overflowing of Peddampet, Sarvaipet and Pankena rivulets in Mahadevpur mandal. There was no power supply to these interior villages following the inundation due to flood waters from Sunday onwards.
