High Alert Continues at Prakasam Barrage With 5.65 Lakh Cusecs of Water Discharge
Level starts receding at barrage, giving relief to people
Vijayawada: A high alert continues in Krishna river at Prakasam barrage with 5.65 lakh cusecs of water being discharged downstream into the sea. While the first flood warning was in force, the water started receding slowly, giving considerable relief to the local people.
With huge inflow of water from upstream projects like Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Pulichintala and also from local catchment areas under the influence of heavy rainfall, the Krishna river was in spate. It crossed the first flood warning at 7 pm on Wednesday and continued to rise till Thursday evening.
However, the discharge from Pulichintala project has reduced to just 1.80 lakh cusecs and there also was a reduction of quantum of water flowing into the river from local catchment areas, to nearly three lakh cusecs, following a lull in rainfall on Thursday. With these, the water level in the river started receding.
The water authorities expect that the water level in the river would come down further by Friday or so if there is no rainfall either in the catchment areas of upstream projects and in local catchment areas.
The authorities intend to maintain a high alert at the Prakasam barrage at both upstream and downstream and all along the downstream of the river course on either side of the flood banks until the water level recedes from the first flood warning level of 3.97 lakh cusecs to normal level.
Meanwhile, the floodwater released from the barrage would travel downwards to a distance of nearly 88km to get emptied into the sea at two points—Hamsaladeevi, popularly known as Sagara Sangamam and Lankivani Dibba. The water authorities are keeping a close vigil along the flood banks and water sluices. They are arranging sand bags wherever required to strengthen them and arrest water leakages.
They are also posting personnel to operate the sluice gates and facilitate water flow into the canals, entering from fields, to get these emptied into the river.
Krishna river conservator Ravi Kiran said, “We are keeping a high alert at Prakasam barrage as 5.65 lakh cusecs of water is being discharged. We will maintain it until the water level is normal in the river, at the barrage, as a precautionary measure and for the safety of the people.”
Meanwhile, all the stakeholder departments including revenue, police, fisheries etc are keeping a close watch along the downstream of the river course to ensure safety to the people living in low-lying areas. People, fishermen and livestock farmers are strictly advised against venturing into the river for their own safety.
Notably, the Krishna river recorded the highest discharge of 11.43 lakh cusecs at Prakasam barrage on Sept 2, 2024.
