The tribal majority Bhadradri Kothagudem district suffered widespread damage, estimated to be around ₹129 crore, due to the recent spell of heavy rains and massive floods in the Godavari and its tributaries, taking a heavy toll on roads, drinking water supply, power and irrigation infrastructure besides agricultural as well as horticultural crops in the flood ravaged areas.
This was conveyed by the district authorities to the four member Central team, which on Friday visited the flood ravaged areas in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, worst hit by the last week’s floods, sources said.
The Central team comprised Deputy Secretary in Ministry of Finance Parthiban, Director in Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare K Manoharan and two other senior officials from the National Highways Authority and the Central Water Commission (CWC).
The team visited the flood ravaged areas in Burgampahad mandal and assessed the extent of damage caused to crops, roads and other infrastructure.
Majeed, a distraught horticultural farmer of Sanjeevareddypalem village, narrated the severe losses suffered by him as the floodwater damaged his entire dragon fruit farm leaving him in the lurch. Several other flood affected farmers recounted similar tales of flood havoc.
The Central team also inspected the flood ravaged houses in Burgampahad and the damaged stretch of the Burgampahad-Kukunur main road.
Later in the day, the team members saw a photo exhibition on the flood devastation at the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) head office in Bhadrachalam.
Collector D Anudeep apprised them of the extensive damages caused by the unprecedented floods in the Godavari, which rose to the second highest flood level of 71.30 feet at Bhadrachalam on July 16.
He told the visiting delegation about the timely evacuation of thousands of people from flood prone/affected areas to the relief camps following which no loss of life was reported from anywhere in the district during the last week’s unprecedented floods. He made a presentation on department-wise damages incurred owing to the flood.
Around 10,831 acres of agricultural fields were affected by floods resulting in damage to crops worth about ₹5.84 crore. As many as 9 electricity sub-stations, 65 poles and 259 transformers, all worth ₹5.80 crore, were damaged.
Rural roads of a length of 251 km were damaged and the R&B roads suffered damages at 45 places incurring a huge loss of about ₹99.96 crore. Damages to various stretches of the National Highways passing through the district were also reported from different parts of the district.
Director of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department M. Hanumantha Rao, Khammam District Collector V. P. Gautham and others were present.
The Central teams also visited Adilabad, Nirmal, Mulugu and other districts worst hit by the last week’s floods.
