Vijayawada: As the floodwaters from the Budameru rivulet slowly recede in Vijayawada, the crisis is now shifting towards the Krishna and Eluru districts, bringing a fresh wave of challenges.
The relentless surge of water is inundating hundreds of villages in the Gannavaram and Gudivada constituencies of Krishna district as the floodwaters rush towards Kolleru Lake.The Eluru-Kaikaluru road has been completely submerged, adding to the difficulties in the Kolleru catchment area. In the meantime, relief and sanitation efforts are being ramped up in Vijayawada as the flood threat diminishes there.
The Budameru floodwaters, that caused havoc in Vijayawada, are now pushing into Krishna district, where they have overwhelmed the main course canal, which is designed to handle 1,500 cusecs but is now facing a deluge of over 4,000 cusecs. This has resulted in the submersion of 64 villages in the district.
Krishna district collector DK Balaji and district SP Gangadhar Rao have taken to motorbikes to personally alert and assist affected residents.
In Vijayawada’s Ajit Singh Nagar area, which has been severely impacted by flooding over the past three days, the situation improved slightly by Wednesday. With the flood levels receding, authorities have stepped up relief efforts. Although heavy rains on Tuesday night slowed progress, officials managed to patch a breach in the Budameru embankment near Devinagar, averting what could have been a major disaster.
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and district administration have mobilized to alleviate the suffering of people. Route officers have been deployed to distribute food and water to homes, while water tankers are being used to supply clean drinking water. Special teams of electricity authorities are working round the clock to restore power in the affected areas.
Efforts are also underway to identify and dispose of animal carcasses to prevent any health hazards.
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Vijayawada experienced severe flooding for the first time in 20 years due to heavy rains. Encroachments on Budameru rivulet’s flood path and inadequate infrastructure have worsened the situation. Despite past attempts to divert floodwaters, rapid urban development has left the city vulnerable, with local politics hindering effective solutions.
NDRF teams and local officials began distributing food packets, water bottles, and essential supplies to flood-affected areas in Vijayawada. Helicopters and drones are delivering the aid. More than 43,000 residents have been relocated to rehabilitation centers. Relief efforts include 48 NDRF and SDRF teams along with 197 medical camps following unprecedented flooding due to record rainfall.
Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and his wife, Kovur MLA Vemireddy Prashanti Reddy, contributed Rs 1 crore towards Vijayawada flood relief. They presented the cheque to Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu. This donation is intended to aid the state government’s ongoing rescue and rehabilitation operations for those impacted by the severe flooding in Vijayawada.
