Fresh discharge makes flood situation grim

Vijayawada, Aug 13 (UNI) Flood situation continues to be grim as many islands and habitations along river Krishna are under threat after 5.2 lakh cusecs of rain water was discharged from Nagarjunasagar to Prakasam barrage this morning.

Official sources said the water would reach Prakasam barrage by tomorrow and thereafter released into sea, downstream of the barrage.

The Nagarjunasagar dam was receiving heavy inflows, due to discharges from Jurala and Srisailam reservoirs, the sources added.

Irrigation department sources said the Full Reservoir level (FRL) of the barrage stood at 13.1 ft and about 4.5 lakh cusecs of water was released into sea till 0900 hrs today.

As much as 16,006 cusecs of water was released into irrigation canals, sources added.

Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Minister J C Diwakar Reddy visited the low-lying areas here yesterday, which were inundated by the flood waters and said an alternative site, would be found to relocate families, which were currently in houses on the wrong side of the flood bank in Krishna Lanka, Rangigarithota and Tarakaramanagar.

Mr Reddy also inspected the relief camp set-up at Krishna Lanka Municipal Corporation school to review the arrangements made for distribution of drinking water, food and santiation.

The vegetable crops and banana were damaged in hundreds of acres in some villages in the district, besides the fishing community, being badly hit by the floods.

Fishermen were forced to keep their boats on the shore for the last one week, due to increasing water levels in the river and warnings being from the administration.

Meanwhile, Krishna District Joint Collector S Suresh Kumar told UNI that though the outflows from barrage had scaled down, the discharge of water into the sea, would be increased to 5.2 lakh cusecs by afternoon.

About 4,800 people living in low-lying areas, were kept in seven relief camps in the city. 80 families from Cherlapalli in this district, were staying in a relief camp, after their village was inundated by rain water, he added.

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