An urgent flood alert has been issued for communities residing along the Godavari River in the Bhadrachalam Agency. By Tuesday evening at 5 p.m., the river’s water level in Bhadrachalam, located in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, had climbed to a significant 50 feet – a mere three feet below the critical danger threshold of 53 feet.
Even with a temporary pause in rainfall across nearby catchment zones, the mighty river’s flow through the historic temple town dramatically surged past 12.51 lakh cusecs late on Tuesday. This considerable increase is attributed to the substantial inflows from upstream dams.
Earlier on Tuesday morning, around 3:30 a.m., the Godavari’s water level surpassed the second flood warning mark of 48 feet, leading authorities to promptly issue a second, more severe flood warning.
Sources confirm that by Tuesday evening, travel on the Bhadrachalam-Charla highway was interrupted. A section of the approach road near the Turubaka bridge in Dummugudem mandal became impassable due to rising floodwaters.
Furthermore, the vital highway connecting Bhadrachalam (Telangana) with Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha experienced disruptions to interstate vehicle movement. A short but crucial stretch between Bhadrachalam and Chintoor was submerged by the flood.
Bhadrachalam Sub-Collector Mrinal Shreshtha personally oversaw the situation, inspecting the ‘karakatta’ (flood bank) and meticulously monitoring safety protocols along the Godavari River banks in Bhadrachalam.
In an official statement, the Sub-Collector strongly advised the public against venturing into the river for bathing or dipping, or even approaching the ghats. With the Godavari in full spate and water levels at 50 feet, extreme caution is paramount.