The water level in the Godavari at Bhadrachalam receded slightly just below the first flood warning level of 43 feet on Friday but the discharge of a large volume of flood waters from the irrigation projects/barrages in the upstream kept the official machinery on alert to tackle any flood threat in the next 24 hours.
The water level gradually decreased from 43.90 feet at 6 a.m. to 41.50 feet at 6 p.m. on Friday, sources said.
However, the flood threat persists as heavy inflow is expected from the projects in the upper reaches of the river owing to combined discharge of a huge volume of flood waters.
A host of senior officials are camping in the temple town to tackle any flood exigency under the direct supervision of Minister for Transport Puvvada Ajay Kumar.
Around 62,461 cusecs of water was discharged from the Taliperu reserviour in the immediate upstream in Charla mandal on Friday afternoon. The Lakshmi barrage in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district witnessed an inflow and outflow of about 5.16 lakh cusecs late in the afternoon.
For the first time in this monsoon season, the gates of Parvathi barrage and Sripada Yellampally Project in Peddapalli district were lifted discharging surplus waters downstream owing to substantial inflows from the Kadem and other projects in the upstream on Friday.
The Kadem project in Nirmal district received huge inflows owing to heavy rains in the upper reaches on Friday morning. As many as 14 of the total 18 gates of the project were lifted, letting out 1.60 lakh cusecs of flood waters into the Godavari.
Mr. Ajay Kumar reviewed the flood preparedness, relief and emergency response measures at a high-level meeting held in Bhadrachalam on Friday afternoon. He called upon the official machinery to remain alert and constantly monitor the water level in the Godavari to effectively deal with any eventuality.
All the departments should work in tandem to evacuate people living in low-lying areas, provide all amenities at the relief camps and prevent loss of life, he said, while referring to the relentless services of the entire official machinery during the heavy floods in the Godavari in the temple town last year.
