Date:10/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/10/stories/2008081051130300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

‘No flood threat to Nagavali’

Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM: The flood threat to Nagavali at Thotapalli reservoir project reduced on Saturday evening as the inflows at the barrage slowed down to 21,000 cusecs at 5.30 p.m. from 27,000 cusecs at 1.30 p.m., Executive Engineer K. Gangadhar Rao said.

There was no damage to the earth bund work between spillway and left earthen dam (river gap).

He denied reports that there were breaches to the bund, and said that irrigation officials on their own removed 20 metres of earth at the height of 99 feet of the bund to allow floodwater to flow.

The gap created saved Gijaba village from inundation. Uncertainty over inflows into the reservoir, however, was persisting due to heavy rain in the catchments of the Nagavali. The administration shifted some 32 families from Gijaba to a school nearby after floodwater entered the village on Friday evening.

As water was flowing on the Parvathipuram-Veeraghattam Road, vehicular traffic was diverted via Mettupaka and Sunki. Traffic was also disrupted on the Rayagada Road at some places in Komarada mandal.

The administration is monitoring the situation and precautionary steps had been taken to meet any eventuality.