Heavy inflows into Prakasam Barrage likely

Due to heavy inflows into the Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar Projects on the Krishna River, the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada has been receiving large volumes of floodwater.
This rise in water levels is a result of the excess water being released from the upstream reservoirs to manage the inflow and ensure the safety of the dams.
On Saturday, the Prakasam Barrage received approximately 77,500 cusecs of water from the Pulichintala Project. In response, the Irrigation Circle in Vijayawada discharged around 77,750 cusecs into the sea by lifting all 70 crest gates. Out of these, 40 gates were raised to a height of 2 feet, while the remaining 30 were raised to 1 foot. To maintain the water level at the barrage at 12 feet, authorities also released 6,547 cusecs into the Krishna Eastern and Western Canals.
Simultaneously, the officials at the Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, and Pulichintala Projects opened their gates to release surplus water into the Krishna River.
As a result, the Water Resources Department expects the Prakasam Barrage to receive around 1,20,000 cusecs of water from upstream in the coming days.
In light of the anticipated rise in water levels, the Irrigation Circle officials have issued an alert to the downstream areas, urging residents to remain vigilant.
The NTR and Krishna district administrations, along with the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), have been informed to take necessary precautions to avoid any untoward incidents.
In response, VMC Commissioner HM Dhyanachandra has opened a Special Control Room on the VMC premises to address flood-related issues. He has invited the public to submit any complaints regarding the flood situation, assuring them of the VMC’s preparedness to handle the situation in coordination with the Water Resources Department.
The Commissioner also conducted a teleconference with officials to coordinate flood response measures. Residents are encouraged to send their complaints via WhatsApp to 8181960909 or call the landline numbers 08662427485 and 2424172 for assistance.