Godavari floods | Over 60,000 people shifted to relief camps from 600 villages in Andhra Pradesh

Officials discharge 21,42,560 lakh cusecs from Polavaram project

View of flood-affected areas in East Godavari district during an aerial survey by Andhra Pradesh CM Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy. | Photo Credit: PTI

More than 60,000 people were shifted to rehabilitation centres from the flood-affected villages in six districts in the State, said the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) officials.

Godavari floods, which were the highest in the last three decades, have impacted more than 600 habitations in 44 Mandals. In all, 220 relief camps were set up.

A team of APSDMA led by Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) G. Sai Prasad, who has been monitoring the flood situation from APSDMA headquarters at Kunchanapalli in Guntur district, said that 21 Mandals of Konaseema district, nine in East Godavari, five Mandals in Alluri Sitarama Raju, four in West Godavari district, three in Eluru district and two in Kakinada district were affected by the floods.

“About 10 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) 10^th Battalion and an equal number of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed to take up rescue and relief operations in coordination with the officers concerned,” said APSDMA Managing Director B.R. Ambedkar.

“APSDMA is also monitoring floods in Krishna, Pranahita, Indravathi and Sabari Rivers, discharge from Polavaram, Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage, Tungabhadra and other projects. Officials are monitoring the situation from the State Control Room and issuing alerts from time to time,” Dr. Ambedkar said.

Minister visits colonies

Endowments Minister Kottu Satyanarayana and Chief Whip Mudunuri Prasad Raju, along with Collector P. Prasanthi visited the flood hit habitations at Koderu and Ponnapalli in Achanta and Narsarpuram Mandals in West Godavari district on Saturday.

Eluru district Collector V. Prasanna Venkatesh reviewed the arrangements in the relief camps set up at Sivakasipuram and Bhudevipeta villages in the Agency area.

He directed the special officers to ensure the supply of quality food in the relief camps, and the distribution of essential commodities to the tribals taking refuge on the hills.