Godavari nears first warning mark at Dowleswaram, floods affect 32,000 in Andhra
The Godavari river continued to rise on Sunday, with the water level at the Dowleswaram Barrage reaching 42.10 feet by 7 p.m., just 0.90 feet below the first warning mark of 43 feet. Authorities are closely monitoring the flood situation in the Godavari basin, especially in low-lying areas, as heavy inflows from upstream regions persist.
The first warning level is fixed at 43 feet, when the water release from Bhadrachalam in Telangana reaches 9,32,288 cusecs. The second warning level is 48 feet, with a discharge of 11,44,645 cusecs, while the third warning level is 53 feet, when the river carries 14,26,684 cusecs of water.
Historical records show the highest flood level ever recorded at Bhadrachalam was 75.60 feet in 1986, when the river carried around 27.02 lakh cusecs of water. During the severe floods of 2022, the water level in the river reached 71.30 feet, with a discharge of 24.43 lakh cusecs, making it one of the highest flood levels recorded in recent decades.
In Polavaram district, at least 971 houses in 72 habitations have submerged, affecting more than 32,000 people due to floods in the Sabari and Godavari rivers. No casualties have been reported so far. More than 12,449 families have been affected, and about 2,100 families have been evacuated to relief camps.
Relief and evacuation operations are in full swing, according to ITDA Project Officer Subham Nokwal. He said 81 boats have been deployed along the banks of the Sabari and the Godavari. As many as 149 pregnant women admitted to government hospitals are under the care of doctors, he added.
The V.R. Puram Mandal, located between the Sabari and Godavari rivers, has been hit hard and remained cut off from the mainland from both the Chintoor and Bhadrachalam sides. With floodwaters receding in both rivers, authorities have begun relief operations in affected villages. Traditional boat operators resumed relief and evacuation work on Sunday after district officials assured clearance of pending payments for services rendered during previous floods.
On the Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh border at Chatti, migrant workers from Chhattisgarh and Odisha are stranded because road connectivity has been disrupted in the Chintoor Agency.
In the Godavari Delta, more than 14 lakh cusecs of floodwater is being released into the Bay of Bengal, after 8,400 cusecs was released into the delta system through canals. According to the Godavari Flood Report-2026, inflows into the Godavari at the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage, Dowleswaram, are falling. In Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, three islands have been affected.
The Eluru district administration has intensified relief and restoration measures in the flood-affected villages of Velairpadu and Kukunoor mandals as floodwaters recede. Officials have launched large-scale restoration work focusing on electricity supply, sanitation, and healthcare services. The Electricity Department restored power to nine remote villages in hilly areas after repairing lines connected to the Koida 11-kV feeder. Personnel travelled by launches and boats across the Pedavagu stream near Koida to reach affected locations.
The district administration has also stepped up sanitation measures in flood-hit villages such as Ganapavaram, Amaravaram, Maredupaka, Kukunoor, Velairpadu, Sivakasipuram, Thotakuragommu, Bhoodevipeta, Dacharam, Gommugudem, Repakagommu, and Rudrankota. Workers sprayed disinfectants and mosquito-control chemicals to prevent disease outbreaks. Authorities have advised residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert and follow official instructions as the situation continues to be monitored.
