Godavari flood remains on rise as inflow exceeds 25.40 lakh cusecs at Andhra’s Dowleswaram

People still reluctant in leaving houses

Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ch. Venugopala Krishna rides a country-made boat in the Godavari river flood affected habitations in Konaseema district. Photo: Special Arrangement

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The Godavari flood remains on the rise with the inflow exceeding 25.4 lakh cusecs at Sir Arthur Cotton barrage at Dowleswaram.

The inflow is expected to rise further in the next 24 hours, claimed Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ch. Venugopala Krishna during an inspection of the flood level at Dowleswaram.

At least 98 islands across the length and breadth of Konaseema have been inundated, forcing people to leave their habitations and belongings to safety.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been persuading the affected people to co-operate with them by leaving their habitations. The NDRF teams are also supplying food, wading through the flood waters.

Despite repeated appeals to vacate, thousands of affected people are still staying in their habitations amidst the flood water in the islands.

Konaseema flood special officer D. Muralidhar Reddy directed the irrigation and revenue authorities to strengthen the flood banks that are vulnerable and found to be weak.

A few hundreds of boats are in operation, supplying food and evacuating the affected downstream of Dowleswaram.