Water level in Godavari river is rising at Bhadrachalam and the water level may touch 43 feet, the first warning level, by Saturday. Owing to heavy downpour in the catchment areas, many tributaries and streams are in spate, Central Water Commission officials said.
The water level at Bhadrachalam was 32.3 feet at 10 p.m. on Friday. Officials discharged 5.24 lakh cusecs from Bhadrachalam, the officials said.
Due to incessant rains for the last three days, many streams and rivulets were overflowing in Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Officials cautioned the villagers staying on the river banks on the rising flood level.
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CWC officials said the flood level at Peruru was 10.65 metres, Eturunagaram 5.55 metres, Dummugudem 7.32, and the Taliperu is in spate. Tribal people staying in Polavaram, Velerupadu, Buttaigudem, Jeelugumilli, Kukunoor, Devipatnam, Chinturu, Yetapaka and other mandals in the Agency area have been asked to shift to safer places.
Irrigation authorities discharged about 2 lakh cusecs from Polavaram dam. About 1,64,897 cusecs was released from Sir Arhur Cotton Barrage (at Dowleswaram barrage) into the sea.
In Krishna river, flood level was rising and the Irrigation officials released 1,15,,311 cusecs to the downstream by lifting 70 gates at the Prakasam barrage by Friday afternoon.
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National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 10th Battalion Commandant Zahid Khan said the force was asked to coordinate with the district authorities. Teams were deployed at vulnerable places, he said.
Polavaram Deputy Superintendent of Police K. Latha Kumari said patrolling undertaken along the river bund to prevent breaching as the flood level was rising.
West Godavari district Collector Kartikeya Misra alerted the K.R. Puram Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA) Project Officer, Anand, Jangareddygudem RDO Y.V. Prasanna Lakshmi, and other Revenue officials on the raising flood on Friday.