First Warning Issued As Godavari Swells

AMARAVATI: First warning signal was raised on Saturday at Dowaleswaram near Rajamahendravaram as river Godavari received an inflow of 10.36 lakh cusecs. The river is continuing to swell in Andhra Pradesh.

As much water was being discharged into the Bay of Bengal as the Dowaleswaram barrage was filled to the brim (2.93 tmc ft) by Saturday afternoon.

"We have alerted the authorities concerned to take all precautionary measures along the river course in view of the flood flow. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force have also been positioned at Rajamahendravaram to attend to any eventuality," Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Commissioner K Kanna Babu said, as was quoted by a news agency.

Kanna Babu has warned against travelling in the river on boats or go for bathing and swimming.

The Devipatnam mandal in East Godavari district remained cut off due to the flood in Godavari. Downstream in West Godavari district, the river has been flowing over the Kotturu causeway, disrupting road communication to the island villages.

The floodwater also entered the spillway channel at the Polavaram project site, hampering construction work, as reported.