Amaravati: River Godavari which was in spate showed indications of a let-up on Sunday evening at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowaleswaram near Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh, belying fears that the water level might rise to a higher level.
The Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Information and Management System recorded 25.20 lakh cusecs at the Cotton Barrage at 5.29 PM down from 25.93 lakh cusecs in the morning.
Given the situation, the deluge may not touch the 28-lakh cusecs mark as was anticipated, with the discharge at upstream Bhadrachalam in neighbouring Telangana dropping drastically to 18.20 lakh cusecs.
The flood-level at Bhadrachalam fell by over 10 feet in the last few hours, resulting in lesser discharge downstream.
East Godavari district Collector K Madhavi Lata said the flood waters have been receding and might drop further in the next few hours.
State Disaster Management Authority managing director B R Ambedkar said the deluge showed signs of decreasing.
However, people along the Godavari course need to be cautious till the water fully recedes. We are closely monitoring the situation from the State Emergency Operation Centre here, Ambedkar said in a release.
About 515 villages in five districts were currently facing the flood fury, he said.
The government has opened 177 relief camps in the affected districts, where 71,200 people were lodged.
The State government sanctioned an additional assistance of Rs 3 crore each to Alluri Sitarama Raju, Eluru and Konaseema districts where the gravity of the flood was high, requiring relief operations on a large scale.
The government previously sanctioned Rs 2 crore each to these districts, and also East and West Godavari, for flood relief operations.
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