Villagers erecting makeshift tents in the Agency area as floodwaters entered their habitations, in Eluru district on Tuesday.
With the floodwaters entering many habitations in the Agency area on Tuesday, villagers trekked to nearby hills to pitch makeshift tents.
The water level in Godavari at Bhadrachalam was at 50.5 feet and the second warning level was in force. The Irrigation Department officials discharged over 12 lakh cusecs from Polavaram project, the Central Water Commission (CWC) officials said.
“Flood level may increase for three more days in the rived-bed habitations. If there is rain in the catchment areas in Peruru, Dummugudem and Eturunagaram in the next 48 hours, water level may rise further,” they said.
Many villagers climbed the hills at Medepalli, Koida, Narlavaram, Thotakuragommu, Repakagommu, Nemalipeta and other habitations and erected makeshift tents.
“We cleared the bushes and erected tents with the tarpaulins distributed by the officials. However, we are afraid of poisonous reptiles and snakes which come in the floodwaters,” said a villager, Arjuna Rao.
11,000 people affected
According to the officials, about 11,200 people were affected due to the floods in Velerupadu, Polavaram and Kukunur mandals in Eluru district. Officials shifted about 6,300 villagers to 21 relief camps.
Collector K. Vetri Selviwho visited the Dacharam relief camp on Tuesday said that ten villages were affected and about 235 houses were damaged due to floods.
“Instructions have been given to distribute rice, dal, milk, drinking water packets, edible oil, vegetables and biscuits to the flood victims in the villages,” the Collector said and appealed to the people to shift to the relief camps.
K.R. Puram ITDA Project Officer M. Surya Teja said that special officers have been arranged for supply of food, milk, drinking water and other essentials at all the relief camps.
“We will continue all the relief camps till floodwaters recede from all the habitations. Tarpaulins have been distributed to all the families staying in the river-bed villages,” Mr. Surya Teja said.
Boats arranged
Superintendent of Police K. Pratap Shiva Kishore who visited the flood-affected habitations said that boats have been arranged to shift the villages from Koya Madhavaram, Tirumalapuram, Katukuru, Ramavaram, Naarlavaram, Koida, Lachigudem and other villages.
“Police, along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were taking up rescue and relief operations. About 12 boats have been arranged and more boats were kept ready for emergencies,” the SP said.
Teams comprising Revenue, Sachivalayam, Panchayat Raj, Medical and Health, Police, Integrated Tribal Welfare Agency (ITDA) and other departments were deployed in the flood-ravaged habitations, the officials said.
