Floods Cut Off 100 Villages In Godavari Districts

District collectors of the five Godavari districts are monitoring the situation round the clock, while SDRF teams have been kept on standby for rescue operations.

In Polavaram district, floodwaters have damaged 44 roads and affected 10 villages in Chinturu, Kunavaram and V.R. Puram mandals. Of these, nine villages have been inundated and one has been completely cut off. A total of 608 families have been affected, with floodwaters entering 563 houses. The affected families have been shifted to safer places using 55 country boats.

District collector K. Dinesh Kumar, accompanied by the joint collector, toured the affected areas by tractor on Saturday. He said rehabilitation centres had been opened in Chinturu, Kunavaram, V.R. Puram and Etapaka mandals. As a precaution, 110 pregnant women have been shifted to community health centres, while stocks of essential medicines, anti-venom and anti-rabies vaccines have been positioned and generators provided to primary health centres.

He said relief operations were being carried out in coordination with the police, revenue, medical, Panchayat Raj, Rural Water Supply, Fire Services, NDRF and SDRF departments.

In Kunavaram mandal, 150 rehabilitation centres have been readied to accommodate around 3,500 families identified as being at risk, while 32 boats have been kept ready. The overflowing Sokileru and Chandravanka streams have also affected Etapaka mandal.

In Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, floodwaters have affected 48 villages. Causeways at Muktheswaram-Thogarapaya, Kanakayalanka and Appanapalli have been submerged, forcing residents to depend on boats for transportation.

Joint collector Vaikom Nadia Devi said access to four habitations in P. Gannavaram mandal, comprising 310 families, had been cut off. Two boats, 45 trained swimmers and life-saving equipment have been deployed for emergency response. She appealed to people to avoid crossing inundated causeways and bridges.

In Eluru district, collector K. Vetri Selvi said 8,492 people in 28 villages of Kukkunuru and Velerupadu mandals had been affected, while 44 families had been evacuated to safer places.

Meanwhile, East Godavari District Collector P. Kirthi Chekuri and West Godavari District Collector C. Nagarani directed officials to remain on high alert. Nagarani instructed officials to closely monitor flood conditions in Achanta, Penugonda and Yelamanchili mandals and alert residents in vulnerable areas.