Fishermen Save Man From Raging Stream In NTR District

Vijayawada:A man was rescued by local fishermen after being swept away in an overflowing stream while attempting to cross a low-level causeway at Damuluru in Nandigama mandal, NTR district, on Friday.

Dondapati Paparao, a resident of Annavaram, was riding his motorbike from Damuluru to his hometown when he reached Damuluru Kudali, where the Vara and Kattaleru streams converge. Due to heavy rainfall in their catchment areas, both streams were in spate. While crossing the submerged causeway, Paparao lost control as the gushing waters caused his bike to skid into the stream.

He managed to avoid being swept away, and local fishermen, who witnessed the incident, came to his aid. Using fishing equipment, they pulled him to safety on the opposite bank. Paparao later reported that his motorbike, along with ₹25,000 in cash, had been washed away.

Water resources authorities said heavy rainfall in areas such as Khammam, Medak, and Madhira had led to increased inflows into the Munneru, Vara, and other streams, which join at Keesara. The Central Water Commission’s gauge point recorded flows ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 cusecs so far.

Meanwhile, inflow into the Krishna river at Prakasam Barrage has receded to 54,000 cusecs, with 36,000 cusecs being released downstream and 16,000 cusecs diverted into canals for crop irrigation by Friday evening.

Krishna river conservator R. Ravi Kiran said: “Several streams with catchment areas spanning both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are currently receiving inflows. Last week, we released three lakh cusecs from the barrage. Unless discharges reach 3.5 lakh cusecs, there will be no significant impact on people living in low-lying areas along the river course.”