High Alert Issued as Krishna River Swells with Pulichintala Inflows

Quick Summary

• High Alert Issued: Water Resources Department authorities have declared a high alert along the Krishna river due to heavy inflows from Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs. Low-lying areas in Guntur, Palnadu, Bapatla, NTR, and Krishna districts are on alert.
• Water Releases: Over 2.84 lakh cusecs of water were released from Pulichintala Project (storage level at 41.586 tmc ft out of the full capacity of 45.77 tmc ft). Vijayawada’s Prakasam Barrage released downstream flows through 70 crest gates.
• Flood Precautions:

– Inflows into Prakasam Barrage peaked at 87,441 cusecs before slightly receding.
– Authorities diverted water into eastern (10,207 cusecs) and western canals (6,234 cusecs).
– Monitoring critical drainage points like Budameru and Kotula Vagu; flood control room set up for emergencies with helpline available: 91549 70454.

• Government actions:

– Officials inspected flood-prone areas and mapped rehabilitation centres for possible evacuations across Vijayawada’s identified vulnerable zones.- SDRF teams are stationed for immediate response; no leave permitted for field officers in affected districts.

• Public advisory: Residents in low-lying areas warned about potential risks as inflows may reach up to 3 lakh cusecs in the next two days. Swimming or fishing activities advised against during this period.

Indian Opinion Analysis

This situation highlights India’s significant challenge with managing riverine floods caused by reservoir discharges during peak monsoons or heavy inflow periods. While preventive measures such as real-time monitoring systems,flood control rooms,and SDRF deployments promote disaster preparedness in affected regions like Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna basin,long-term considerations could include strengthening infrastructure resilience near riversides.

Coordination among various municipal departments reflects proactive governance aimed at averting casualties while mapping rehabilitation options serves as a crucial step toward preparedness during exigencies seen nationwide near major reservoirs.

On a broader level, frequent alerts linked to downstream discharges remind us of how hydro-infrastructure requires constant balancing between power generation demands versus ecological safety concerns around evacuations caused under overfilled scenarios!.

Read more: The Hindu