In all, 30,300 families residing on the banks of the Godavari, island villages, and in the low-lying areas in West Godavari and Eluru districts, have been affected due to unprecedented floods.
Floodwaters have not yet receded in about 20 habitations located in the Agency areas and in the island villages in Velerupadu, Kukunur, Achanta, Narsapuram and Elamanchili mandals in the two districts, officials have said.
“We are shifting patients from the flooded habitations on boats. Supply of medicines, groceries and vegetables is being done with the help of the SDRF, Civil Defence and NDRF personnel,” the officials said on Friday.
Villagers who returned to their homes after staying in the relief camps for about 10 days broke down as they lost everything due to the flash floods.
A few colonies and houses had been completely washed away in the island villages.
“This is the biggest flood. Every year, the river gets huge inflows mostly in August and we prepare an evacuation plan in advance. This year, flood occurred much earlier,” said 30-year-old Kunja Jhansi of Repakagommu.
“Water flowed at a height of about 15 feet in our village and submerged the electric poles. Normally, floodwater recedes in four to five days, but this year it stagnated for more than 10 days,” said P. Ramu, a native of Koida.
Had the Polavaram submergence villages not been vacated, more people would have suffered due to the flash floods, Eluru Collector V. Prasanna Venkatesh told The Hindu.
“As many people of Polavaram, Buttaigudem, Jeelugumilli and other areas residing in the submergence habitations have been shifted to the R&R Colonies, the impact of floods is less this year,” he said.
Relief and medical camps had been arranged in Polavaram, Kukunur and Velerupadu mandals, and officers were monitoring the situation round the clock, said Special Officer, Eluru district, Katamneni Bhaskar.
“A few two-wheelers, utensils and other materials have been washed away in the floods. The houses that are in water for the last 12 days have been completely damaged,” said Jagata Rama Rao of West Godavari district.
“Garbage piled up in the houses and roads are filled with slush. The houses of our relatives are still inundated,” said K. Ranga Rao of Doddipatla.
West Godavari district Special Officer Praveen Kumar said as per the preliminary enumeration, 107 thatched houses and six huts were damaged.
Mr. Praveen visited the relief camps located at Lockpeta, Ponnapalli and Narsapuam Mission High School, and interacted with the villagers.
