Third flood warning at Bhadrachalam as Godavari crosses 56 feet; villagers evacuated

The Godavari river crossed the 56-feet mark at Bhadrachalam on Saturday (August 1, 2026), prompting officials to issue the third flood warning and evacuate villagers from low-lying habitations in Eluru district, Andhra Pradesh.

The Godavari is in spate along its course in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh following days of heavy rainfall. The flood warning at Bhadrachalam, a key monitoring station on the river, is closely watched by officials in both states.

Officials monitoring the flood situation said the water level stood at 56.1 feet at 1 p.m., forcing authorities to release more than 15 lakh cusecs of water downstream. The water level at the Polavaram dam was recorded at 11.96 metres.

The third warning is part of the standard flood alert system for the Godavari stretch at Bhadrachalam. The Central Water Commission (CWC) said the flood level at Dummugudem, Eturunagaram and Kaleswaram remained steady by Saturday afternoon, even as local rivulets and streams upstream were in spate.

Heavy and incessant rainfall in Chhattisgarh and other upper catchment areas has contributed to the rising water level, officials said. Floodwater has covered roads and cut off several low-lying villages. In Vaddegudem village in V.R. Puram mandal, drone visuals shot on Friday showed floodwaters reaching the rooflines of homes. The swollen river also passed through the Polavaram project downstream.

Eluru Superintendent of Police K. Pratap Shiva Kishore, who is camping at Velerupadu to oversee the operations, said villagers from Repakagommu, Gommugudem, Latchagudem and other habitations in Velerupadu and Kukunoor mandals had been evacuated. “Thirty boats have been arranged to shift the villagers to flood relief camps set up on higher ground. Instructions have been given to Polavaram DSP K. Jaya Krishna to give priority to pregnant women, senior citizens and patients,” he said.

The administration has set up medical camps in the rehabilitation centres, and drinking water and food are being provided to the evacuated families. Mr. Pratap Shiva Kishore appealed to residents to cooperate with officials on flood duty and not to venture into the river.

Teams from the Revenue, Tribal Welfare, Medical and Health, Panchayat Raj and Rural Water Supply departments, the K.R. Puram Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Women Development and Child Welfare, village secretariats and anganwadi workers are involved in the evacuation and relief operations, according to flood-duty officers.

The affected areas, which are part of the agency belt, have limited road connectivity, and many villages are accessible only by boat. With roads cut off, police have posted pickets to stop people from crossing low-level bridges, known locally as saptas, and from entering the river for fishing or boating. The movement of country-made boats has been banned as the river is in spate, said Kukunoor CI Bala Suresh.

“The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the District Response Force of Eluru district have been pressed into service,” the SP added.

Officials in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are coordinating the response, as the river flows from Bhadrachalam in Telangana into downstream areas in Andhra Pradesh. With the monsoon expected to continue, the authorities remain on high alert.