1,430 hectare of crops hit by flooding; island villages along Godavari worst hit

Rajahmundry: As the water level in Godavari river is receding gradually, horticulture enumerators are visiting the island villages to assess the extent of crop damage across Godavari districts on Thursday.

Based on the preliminary report in East Godavari, several horticulture crops suffered damage due to inundation of fields in island villages in about 1,430 hectares area located in 10 mandals in Amalapuram division.

They include: Ainavilli, Mummidivaram, I. Polavaram, P. Gannavaram, Kothapeta, Ravulapalem, Athreyapuram, K. Gangavaram and Mamidikuduru.
Vegetable crops suffered damage in about 1,134.8 hectares, banana in 264.8 hectares, papaya in 10 hectares, turmeric in 4.8 hectares and beetle wines in about 16 hectares area.

Horticulture authorities say unless flood waters recede completely, it may be difficult to find out the exact nature of the crop damage. However, the receding water will leave a thick layer of silt deposited in the islands having high nutritious value. In West Godavari, a few crops like ridge weed, brinjal and beetle wines suffered extensive damage in about 58 acres area in Bheemulapuram of Achanta mandal.

Crop damage is also reported at Sidhantham of Penugonda mandal and assessment reports are awaited. There may not be much impact of flood water on paddy fields unless the water stagnates.

Meanwhile, water resources authorities say that water level in Godavari river at Sir Arthur Cotton barrage is recorded at 12.2 ft with a discharge of 10.26 lakh cusecs into the sea. They say that by night, the first flood warning level of 11.75 ft may be withdrawn as water level started receding. At Badrachalam, water level recorded at 41 ft.