Due to increased inflows and stagnated backwaters, a breach occurred to Godavari bund upstream Polavaram Dam near here, creating panic among the villagers.
However, irrigation officials said the bund was damaged due to raise in flood level and water was diverted to another direction due to the breach. But, there is no threat to the villages.
On receiving information about the breach, police and irrigation officials rushed to the spot. With the water level raising in the river, officials were releasing water from the 42 gates. The approach channel was completely inundated due to the breach, the officials said.
“With the backwaters stagnating for the last few days and flood water entering into the river due to rains in the upstream and hilly areas, there are chances of more breaches to Godavari bund and there is a threat to some river-bed villages,” said a villager M. Swamy.
Road communication has been cut-off to many hamlets in Polavaram, Velerupadu, in West Godavari district and habitations were affected in Devipatnam and Yetapaka mandals in East Godavari district.
Tribals were reaching their habitations by boats and through forests. Officials laid temporary roads from Gaddapalli and Gajulagondi villages to reach the cut-off villages in Polavaram mandal.
Villagers said that there was seepage of water at many places from the bund as the flood level was increasing by the day. Flood level at Polavaram dam was about 26.7 feet on Tuesday, police said.
Meanwhile, officials of Revenue, K.R. Puram Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Medical and Health, A.P. Transco and other departments were moving in the habitations in the Agency area and were monitoring the situation.
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