Over 3 lakh affected as Godavari tributaries breach embankments

Hyderabad, Aug 7 (UNI) Over three lakh people were affected as River Godavari's tributaries Gawtami and Vashita breached embankments even as the level in the river was 13.7 feet above the third danger level mark of 52 feet in the temple town of Bhadrachalam today.

Reviewing the flood situation at a high-level meeting, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy appointed three senior officers to oversee relief and rehabilitation in the districts of Khammam, East and West Godavari Districts as large tracts of land were inundated with flood water.

Two helicopters were pressed into service to drop food packets and water sachets to the people of the marooned villages as the right bank of River Gowthami breached embankments at Sanepallilanka and left bank of Vasishta at Mondilanka, Diaster Management Commissioner Debabratha Kanta told UNI.

Traffic came to a standstill on the Highway between Mumidavaram and Amalapuram in the worst-hit Konaseema region.

About 28.50 lakh cusecs of water was discharged into sea from the Dowleswaram Barrage as over 3.5 lakh cusecs was realised at the Sriramsagar Project in the upper Godavari with heavy inflows from Maharashtra and its various rivers including Sabari which were in spate, Irrigation officials said.

A Krishna temple constructed by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and slated for inauguration by the Chief Minister on August nine, was submerged, a report from Rajahmundry said.

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