Flood threats rise after severe rains

Parts of the state are in imminent danger of floods as rain continued to lash the districts on Monday. Thousands had to be evacuated to safer places in the West Godavari district due to the incessant rains.

In Khammam district, a couple were killed when their house collapsed due to heavy rains early on Monday morning while they were asleep. The victims were identified as N. Jagan, 34, and his wife N. Jayasudha, 30.

In East Godavari, over 332 families were stranded as water from Seethapalli, Maderu and Vattigadda streams entered Tamarapalli, Nunepalli and Marripalem villages. The water level at the Musurumilli reservoir was at 113.40 metre in the evening, forcing irrigation authorities to release nearly 7,000 cusecs through the spillway. The water level at the Surampalem reservoir touched 104.6 metres against the FRL of 105 metres. Here too irrigation authorities had to release water. In West Godavari, Tammileru, Yerrakaluva and Kovvada canals are almost overflowing. As Tammileru is in spate, it affected the Ponangi village and YSR Colony.

“Nearly 2,000 families live on either side of the Tammileru river bunds. People in these areas have to be shifted as there is an expected inflow of around 40,000 cusecs to the river. We have sought helicopters to rescue the people,” said Mrs Vani Prasad, collector of West Godavari.