Prakasam Barrage to get inflows of flood water

Vijayawada, July 14: Even as Irrigation Department and Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials were geared up to face the situation arising from huge inflows of flood water into the Prakasam Barrage from Nagarjunasagar Dam, 34,566 cusecs of flood water was discharged into the barrage from Nagarjunasagar at 0900 hrs today.

Irrigation Department sources told sources here today the water level at Nagarjunasagar already reached 577 feet as against the maximum level of 590 feet.

The huge inflows from Srisailam to Nagarjunasagar was attributed due to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas.

The sources said the flood water released from Nagarjunasagar would take at least 24 hours to reach the Prakasam Barrage from where it would be discharged into the sea.

An alert had been sounded for those staying downstream and residing adjacent to the river bed. A control room would function round-the-clock in the VMC from tomorrow.

Meanwhile, authorities discharged about 18,000 cusecs of water into the sea from the barrage this morning.

Twenty-five of the 70 crest gates were lifed up to one feet with the water level at barrage being maintained at 12 feet, they said.

UNI