Godavari islands vulnerable to flood threat

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Rajahmundry: Even as the water level in Godavari river continues to rise, the authorities are facing a tough task to evacuate the island dwellers to safety in Konaseema area in East Godavari.
As many as 31 islands are located in Godavari river in Amalapuram division and out of them nine islands located in P. Gannavaram, Ainavilli and Mummidivaram mandals are surrounded by water and highly vulnerable while others are located along the flood bank.
Villagers from islands of Veeravallipalem, Pottilanka, Ainavillilanka, Tottharamudi, Gurajapalanka, Thanelanka, Saladivaripalem, Gandi Pedapudi and two habitations Badugulanka and Arigelavaripalem of the above mentioned three mandals are unwilling to be evacuated to the rehabilitation centres.
Nearly 8,000 people live in these islands. Their contention is that their houses are located at the level of the flood bank and are living in pucca houses.
They learnt to have informed the officials that even if the water level rises further, they will not be affected. Some of those who are living in thatched houses are moving to pucca houses as a precautionary measure.
As the efforts of the officials to evacuate them to safety proved futile, the authorities managed to move about 1,000 people from other islands to the rehabilitation centres and they are being provided with food and water.
A team of 20 personnel from National Disaster Response Force are deployed at the three vulnerable mandals and about 40 personnel from fire department are on standby.
Nearly 63 boats are kept ready to shift the islanders in case of emergency. Amalapuram RDO P. Sampath Kumar said, “We are trying to persuade the islanders to move to rehabilitation centres.
Our officers are deployed there to caution them in case of emergency.” About 100 people evacuated to rehab centres from Devipatnam and Toyyeru villages. About 25 houses were marooned at Toyyeru village.
and road connectivity was also lost at the same village. Ten personnel from NDRF are on standby.
Rampachodavaram Sub Collector G. Chandrudu said, “We have disconnected power supply to Devipatnam. This move is aimed to avoid electric shock to the people and livestock in case of overhead power lines get snapped and fall down in submerged fields in low-lying areas.”
In Rajahmundry division, about 1,400 people are evacuated to rehab centres set up at several places.\
Nine relief camps set up
Rajahmundry: West Godavari collector Siddarth Jain appointed special officers to the vulnerable mandals in order to take safety measures as Godavari river rises alarmingly.
 
Accordingly, civil supplies district manager Salim Khan appointed to Achanta mandal, DWMA project director N. Ramachandra Reddy to Yalamanchali mandal, housing project director Satyanarayana to Poduru mandal, chief planning officer K. Satyanarayana to Tanuku mandal, agriculture joint director Krupadas to Tadepalligudem mandal, K.R. Puram ITDA project officer Suryanarayana to Polavaram mandal, Naraspuram RDO Vasantha Rao to Narasapuram mandal and Kovvur RDO Surya Rao to Kovvur mandal.
A control room was opened with the number 08812230617 at the collectorate.
West Godavari district revenue officer K. Prabhakara Rao said, “We have set up nine relief camps and evacuated 1,240 persons from islands in Narasapuram and Kovvur divisions and 400 students from welfare hostels located at Thutigunta, Kondukota and Singanapalli of Polavaram mandal.
No loss of life and property reported so far.”
Boats for rescue are ready
 

Boats anchored by fishermen on the banks of river Godavari at Sir Arthur Cotton barrage in Dowlaiswaram as the flood water rose alarmingly on Saturday. -DC
Rajahmundry: The East Godavari fisheries department has sent 115 boats on Saturday for the rescue operations and for civil supplies in flood prone areas in seven mandals of the district.
According to deputy director of fisheries D. Govindayya, of the total, the disbursal was made to these mandals as per the requirement and directive of district collector.Of these, P. Gannavaram was allotted three boats Sakhinetipalli 38, Malkipuram 10, Razole 5, Inavilli 36 and Devipatnam 10 in the district.
Meanwhile, the rising water level in Godavari river was at 16.30 feet with a discharge of 17.22 lakh cusecs of water into sea at Sir Arthur Cotton barrage at Dowlaiswaram at 9 pm. The water level is expected to rise further on Sunday.