Nearly 8,500 people in 28 villages, mostly tribal habitations, have been affected by the Godavari floods in Eluru district. The Godavari touched 56.10 feet at Bhadrachalam on Saturday, prompting the issuance of the third flood warning.
Officials shifting the flood victims on an inflated boat to safer places as Godavari river is in spate in Eluru district on Saturday.
A 32-year-old man, N. Prasad, of Tekuru village was washed away while attempting to cross the overflowing Yedduvaagu on a low-level causeway on Friday night.Mr. Prasad, who was returning from a weekly shandy, reportedly tried to cross the causeway between Yedavalli and Bollapalli villages when he was swept away by the strong current.Velerupadu Sub-Inspector P. Naveen Kumar said police personnel, along with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), were searching for the missing man.Eluru District Collector K. Vetri Selvi, along with Polavaram MLA Chirri Balaraju and Superintendent of Police Pratap Shiva Kishore, visited the flood-hit villages in Velerupadu mandal on Saturday. The Collector directed officials on flood duty to take all possible measures to prevent loss of life and ensure the immediate evacuation of people from inundated habitations to relief camps.Reviewing the flood situation with officials of the Panchayat Raj, Tribal Welfare, Zilla Parishad, Revenue, Police, AP Transco, Fire Services, Medical and Health, and other departments, Ms. Vetri Selvi instructed them to strengthen rescue and relief operations, maintain sanitation at relief camps and prevent outbreaks of communicable diseases.She directed the Medical and Health Department to keep adequate stocks of medicines for snake bites, malaria, typhoid and diarrhoea, and ensure uninterrupted medical services in the affected villages.Flood-affected residents of Rudramkota, Tatakurugommu, Katukuru, Tekuru, Koida, Vinjaram, Koundanya Mukthi, Tekupalli, Narlavaram, Tirumalapuram, Kannayigutta, Repakagommu and other habitations have been shifted to relief camps, Joint Collector M. J. Abhishek Gowda, who monitored the relief operations, said.The Kondareddy and Koya tribal communities in Perantallapalli, Kakisanuru, Taduvai and a few other habitations moved to nearby hilltops on their own, while officials shifted the remaining residents to relief camps at Dacharam, Shivakasipuram and the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayam, Jangareddygudem Revenue Divisional Officer J. V. Ramana said.Velerupadu Tahsildar N. Srinivas said two launches had been deployed to supply rice, vegetables and other essential commodities to marooned villagers, while motor boats were being used to evacuate people from inundated habitations.Mr. Abhishek Gowda said expert swimmers had been deployed in flood-hit villages and AP Transco officials were taking steps to maintain power supply wherever possible.Superintendent of Police Pratap Shiva Kishore said police pickets had been posted at all submerged causeways and inundated roads in Velerupadu and Kukunur mandals to prevent people from venturing into dangerous areas.District Medical and Health Officer U. Shobha and DRDA Project Director Vijaya Lakshmi said medical camps had been set up at the relief centres and milk, biscuits, drinking water and other essential supplies were being distributed to the evacuees.NDRF 10th Battalion Deputy Commandant (Operations) Sukhendu Datta said one team each had been deployed in Eluru, Amalapuram and Rajamahendravaram for relief and rescue operations.In addition, four teams have been deployed in Mulugu, Bhadrachalam, Khammam and Nirmal districts in Telangana, NDRF Commandant V. V. N. Prasanna Kumar said.Polavaram Deputy Superintendent of Police K. Jaya Krishna said boating in the Godavari had been suspended and patrolling along the river bund intensified as a precaution. Villagers were being shifted to relief camps using inflatable boats, ropes, life jackets and other rescue equipment.Trainee Collector Ch. Sravan Kumar Reddy said electricity supply had been restored wherever feasible and generators had been arranged at rehabilitation centres to ensure lighting and minimise the risk of snake and other reptile bites.District Panchayat Officer G. V. K. Mallikharjuna Rao, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Jagadamba and other officials participated in the relief and review meetings.
