Flood Alert Issued as Prakasam Barrage Faces Heavy Overflow

Quick Summary

• Flood Update at Prakasam barrage, Vijayawada:

– Peak flood flows reached near the second warning level at 5.65 lakh cusecs on Thursday afternoon.
– All 70 crest gates of the barrage were opened to their maximum height (10 feet) to release surplus water into the sea.
– First flood warning was issued on Wednesday; inflows started declining by evening.

• Reservoir Conditions in Andhra Pradesh:

– state reservoirs collectively hold water storage at 77.77% capacity, up from last year’s storage levels.
– Major reservoir status:
– Srisailam: Water level at 215.81 meters, storage capacity filled at nearly 92%.
– Nagarjuna Sagar: storage filled at nearly 98%.
– Other reservoirs such as Pulichintala and Sir Arthur cotton Barrage are close to full or holding notable inflows/outflows.

• Total reservoir cushion across Andhra Pradesh is sufficient (222.27 tmcft), with infrastructure handling peak rainfall-driven inflows effectively.

Indian Opinion Analysis

Effective management of flood conditions and reservoir discharges demonstrates Andhra Pradesh’s preparedness against extreme weather events heavily related to catchment-area rains. the controlled opening of crest gates minimized immediate risks while ensuring that major reservoirs like Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam maintained optimal levels without overflow danger.

The reported boost in water storage compared to last year indicates improved systemic efficiency and serves as a buffer during future dry spells across agricultural zones reliant on irrigation networks fed by these reservoirs. However, awareness around secondary risks like downstream flooding or damage necessitates continual monitoring beyond reactive responses seen so far.

Despite challenges posed by heavy catchment rains,no critical disruption has been recorded yet-a positive indicator for infrastructure resilience statewide this monsoon season.

Read more: The Hindu