Aided by heavy inflows from the upper reaches of the Godavari, the water level in the river at the famous pilgrim centre of Bhadrachalam has shot up to 28 feet on Monday evening.
The water level has risen sharply by seven feet within a span of 12 hours on Monday.
It is likely to increase steeply and reach 35 feet as against the first flood warning level of 43 feet by Tuesday afternoon, sources in the Irrigation Department said.
The official machinery has alerted people living in low-lying areas in the temple town as well as in the riverside villages in Bhadrachalam division as a safety precaution.
Meanwhile, according to sources, the water level in Palair reservoir in Kusumanchi mandal stood at 21.8 feet on Monday evening.
Inflows into the balancing reservoir recorded slight decrease earlier in the day.