The inflow of the Godavari floodwater started receding at the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram in Andhra Pradesh by Monday morning. However, the present inflow is beyond the third warning level, paralysing normal life in all the islands of the Godavari downstream of the barrage. The highest inflow of above 25 lakh cusecs was reported on Sunday evening and later started falling down to 23 lakh cusecs by morning.
A further fall in inflows is expected and enables the relief teams to speed up the relief operations.
Meanwhile, the people affected in the islands are still reluctant to leave their habitations, reportedly due to the fear of losing their valuables and other belongings. They have been staying on rooftops.
The NDRF, SDRF and local groups have been supplying food to the affected people in Konaseema district.
The banana plantations spread over thousands of acres are still under the floodwater.
Breaches
Breaches to the bunds of the canals and branches of the river have been reported in many places, from where the floodwater is entering the nearby habitations along the stretch of the P.Gannavaram aqueduct and Bodasakkurru.
Scores of people have erected their temporary tents on the river bund, where they have also accommodated their cattle.
Financial aid
Konaseema District Special Officer on Godavari flood D. Muralidhar Reddy told the media at Amalapuram that 36,000 families affected by the flood would receive an aid of ₹2,000 per family.
He appealed to the families evacuated from the islands to wait to return to their habitations as the third warning was still in force at Dowleswaram.
Of the thousands of people stranded in the islands, nearly 10,000 reportedly agreed for evacuation in Konaseema district.
