With huge inflows reaching the Wainganga, the Pranahita, the Wardha and other tributaries in the upstream areas, the flood level is raising in the Godavari.
At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, a water level of 38.40 feet was recorded at Bhadrachalam, and it is rising, said authorities of the Central Water Commission (CWC).
The flood level might touch the first warning level (43 feet) by Tuesday midnight, or by Wednesday morning, the Irrigation officials said, and alerted the officers of various departments in both the Godavari districts.
Youth goes missing
Meanwhile, A. Sri Hari, a youth of Purushotapatnam, who ventured into the river on a small boat, went missing. “Expert swimmers are searching for him,” the police said.
The Godavari is rising at Kunavaram, Koida, cofferdam, Polavaram, Old Railway Bridge in Rajamahendravaram and at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram.
In East Godavari district, the officials have sounded an alert at V.R. Puram, Chintur, Kunavaram, Yatapaka and other mandals. Tribal people staying in the low-lying areas and in the island villages have been advised to be alert and not to venture into the flood waters on countrymade boats.
Road transport has been cut off to about 19 villages from Polavaram as the flood waters are overflowing the causeway at Kothuru village.
Communication has been cut off to Kondrukota, Kothuru, Paidipakala, Gaddapalli, Madavapuram, Paidakulamamidi, Sivagiri and other habitations.
“Countrymade boats have been arranged at Kothur low-level bridge to shift the villagers in case there is an emergency. Medicines, rice, pulses, kerosene, vegetables, candles and other essential items have been shifted to the flood-hit habitations in advance,” Polavaram Sub-Collector R.V. Suryanarayana told The Hindu.
“If the flood level touches the second warning level (48 feet) at Bhadrachalam, villages located on the Godavari bund may inundate. Officers of the ITDA, Revenue, Irrigation and other departments have been pressed into service,” he said.