NDRF, SDRF and Police shifting a baby and her family trapped in Godavari floods at Gommugudem village, in Eluru district, an inflated boat on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
With the flood level crossing 56 feet in the Godavari at Bhadrachalam, officials issued the third warning on Saturday (August 1, 2026), and villagers in flood-affected habitations have been evacuated.The flood level at 1 p.m. was 56.1 feet, and officials discharged more than 15 lakh cusecs downstream. The water level at the Polavaram dam was 11.96 metres.Because of heavy rain upstream, the water level in the Godavari is rising, officials monitoring the flood situation said. Officials of the Central Water Commission (CWC) said the flood level at Dummugudem, Eturunagaram and Kaleswaram was steady by Saturday afternoon.Floodwaters of the Godavari River stand to the rooflines of homes in Vaddegudem village in V.R. Puram mandal, Andhra Pradesh, in a still from a drone video shot on Friday. The swollen river also poured through the Polavaram project downstream. Video: Special Arrangement pic.twitter.com/RsPy4NXmfi— The Hindu - Andhra Pradesh (@THAndhra) August 1, 2026Streams and rivulets upstream are in spate and rainfall in Chhattisgarh has been incessant, and the water level is rising. Flood water has covered roads, cutting off low-lying areas, the officials said.Eluru Superintendent of Police K. Pratap Shiva Kishore said villagers from Repakagommu, Gommugudem, Latchagudem and other habitations in Velerupadu and Kukunoor mandals had been evacuated.Thirty boats arranged“Thirty boats have been arranged to shift the villagers to flood relief camps set up on higher ground. Instructions have been given to Polavaram DSP K. Jaya Krishna to give priority to pregnant women, senior citizens and patients,” the SP said.“Medical camps have been arranged, and drinking water and food are being provided in the rehabilitation camps. Villagers are requested to cooperate with the officers on flood duty,” said Mr. Pratap Shiva Kishore, who is camping at Velerupadu.Teams from the Revenue, Tribal Welfare, Medical and Health, Panchayat Raj and Rural Water Supply departments, the K.R. Puram ITDA, Women Development and Child Welfare, village secretariats and anganwadi workers are involved in the evacuation and rehabilitation, the flood-duty officers said.Roads cut offWith roads cut off to many villages, the police have posted pickets to stop people from crossing the low-level bridges, or saptas, and going into the Godavari to fish or boat. The movement of country-made boats has been banned, as the river is in spate, said Kukunoor CI Bala Suresh.“The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the District Response Force of Eluru district have been pressed into service,” the SP said. Published - August 01, 2026 04:07 pm IST
