Godavari floods: 4,700 families in Polavaram project submergence area affected in A.P.

Nearly 4,700 families from 41 villages in the Polavaram irrigation project submergence area in Chintoor Agency have been affected due to the flood in the Godavari River, in Alluri Sitharama Raju district.

On Saturday, the inflows into the river in the upstream areas receded, leading to the withdrawal of the first flood warning at Bhadrachalam in Telangana. 

At least 495 houses have been partially damaged with floodwater entering the habitations along the banks of the Sabari and Godavari rivers. Chintoor, Kunavaram, V.R.Puram and Yetapaka are the worst hit. 

“The essential commodities are being supplied to the affected families. As many as 17 roads are under floodwater across the Agency. The health condition of the 96 pregnant women is stable in the government hospitals,” Chintoor Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) Project Officer Shubham Nokwal said in the flood bulletin.  

The pregnant women were shifted from the flood-hit areas ahead of the flood warning. A total of 21 boats have been deployed to distribute the essential commodities in the affected villages. 

At the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram, the first flood warning remains in force with the inflows exceeding 10 lakh cusecs.

Downstream the barrage, relief operations were underway in the islands in the mandals of P.Gannavaram and Maamidikuduru in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district. The officials are yet to enumerate the crop damage.