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21 villages in AP evacuated following flood threat

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad

People from 21 villages along the Godavari river in Khammam district, Andhra Pradesh, have been evacuated to safer places as the water level crossed the danger mark of 53 feet near the temple town of Bhadrachalam Friday evening.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that two Air Force helicopters have been deployed in Bhadrachalam and another will be pressed into service if required. Motor launches have also been deployed for evacuation.

At a high-level meeting with officials, Naidu directed Excise Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, who is in Bhadrachalam, to monitor the situation. He directed Khammam's district collector to airdrop food packets for the affected people.

State relief commissioner P Bhaskar Prasad said the water level at Bhadrachalam was expected to rise. Those evacuated have been lodged in relief camps in Khammam district. Eleven relief teams have been pressed into service.

Naidu said precautions were being taken to protect the riverbanks, to prevent any breach. He instructed officials of the medical and health, drinking water supply, civil supplies, panchayat raj and other departments to form relief teams immediately.

Meanwhile, Central Water Commission officials said the water levels have been rising due to heavy rains in the catchment area in neighbouring Maharashtra. Several low-lying villages in Khammam, Warangal and Karimnagar districts face a flood threat. The water level has been increasing in Bhadrachalam, Dummugudem, Kaleswaram, Kunavaram, Eturnagaram and other areas along the river.

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