Special Correspondent
Srikakulam: Even as the district administration was trying to grapple with the devastating after-effects of the floods that hit the district on August 7, water levels in the two important rivers in the district, viz., Vamsadhara and Nagavali, have been steadily rising once again, thanks to the heavy rain in the catchment areas of the rivers in neighbouring Orissa. A worried administration once again swung into action and alerted the officials concerned. Villagers along the course of the rivers, who were yet to recover from the shock of the recent floods, were sitting with their fingers crossed, hoping that nothing serious would befall them once again.
According to reports reaching district headquarters, water discharge at Gotta barrage across Vamsadhara river at 7 p.m. was 35 cusecs. It had been increasing steadily and might cross the 90,000 cusec level by midnight. While the first warning level would be hoisted when the water level is 40,000 cusecs, danger signal would be hoisted when the discharge crossed the 1.04 lakh mark at the Gotta Barrage. According to reports reaching here, floodwater had entered towns such as Gunupur, situated on the banks of Vamsadhara in Orissa. Gunupur is about 80 km upstream of Heeramandalam where Gotta Barrage is located.
The water discharge at the old bridge across the Nagavali was 45,000 cusecs by 7 p.m. The water level had been rising steadily and it is likely to cross the first warning level of 94,000 cusecs by midnight. According to Joint Collector G. Kishan who visited the Thotaplli reservoir across Nagavali on Saturday evening, there was no need for alarm as all steps have been taken to face any situation. “As of now, there is no need to evacuate people,” Mr. Kishan told The Hindu. Meanwhile, the loss due to recent floods was put at Rs. 12.50 crore.
Hyderabad Special Correspondent adds: People in 28 island villages in the middle of the Godavari in Konaseema had to go without food and drinking water for the second day on Saturday, with the Godavari in spatein this estuary, although the level has begun falling at Bhadrachalam upstream.
