The first flood warning was issued on Wednesday after water level in the Godavari river reached 43 feet at the temple town of Bhadrachalam in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana, district authorities said.
The river reached the warning level at 8.15 AM and the forecast indicates further rise, they said.
Bhadradri Kothagudem District Collector Jitesh V Patil said all officers on flood duty are at Bhadrachalam division to attend relief and rescue operations.
He asked officials to alert people living along the river and shift those living in low-lying areas to relief centres.
The district administration is continuously monitoring the situation and will take necessary measures in the event of any emergency, he said.
People were urged to follow the instructions of the district administration.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday forecast that heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places in Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Mahabubabad districts from 10 AM on Wednesday till 8.30 AM on August 21.
Thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) are very likely to occur at isolated places in all districts during the same period.
Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday instructed irrigation officials to maintain strict vigilance over rising inflows into reservoirs in the state, take preventive measures for flood damage, and ensure appropriate supply of water to farmers during the current crop season, an official release said.
Reviewing the status of major reservoirs, the minister said that water inflows into the Krishna basin had reached significant levels. At Jurala, inflows stood at 2.18 lakh cusecs, while Nagarjuna Sagar recorded an outflow of 3.95 lakh cusecs.
The Srisailam project, with a gross capacity of 215.81 TMC, was holding 198.81 TMC, compared to 192.97 TMC last year on the same date. Similarly, Nagarjuna Sagar, with a capacity of 312.05 TMC, had 297.15 TMC in storage, he said.
In the Godavari basin, heavy inflows were reported across key projects. Sri Ram Sagar Project was holding 73.37 TMC against its 90.30 TMC capacity, while Singur project stood at 19.48 TMC, significantly higher than last year’s 14.91 TMC, Reddy said.
The flood damage report showed 177 cases of breaches and damages to tanks, canals, and lifts. Restoration costs were estimated at over Rs 335 crore, with nearly 3,500 temporary restorations already undertaken, the release said.
Districts such as Adilabad, Mulugu, Mahabubnagar, and Suryapet reported higher levels of damage, it said.
Heavy rains are lashing different parts of the state for the past few days, causing waterlogging on roads and inundation in low-lying areas. Rivulets and other water bodies were also in spate, leading to disruption of road links between villages in a few areas.
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