India – Over 17,000 Displaced as Godavari River Overflows in Andhra Pradesh

Flooding from the Godavari river in India’s Andhra Pradesh state has affected over 74,000 people in the two districts of East Godavari (52,500 people) and West Godavari (21,568), according to the state’s Disaster Management Authority.

Power supply has been interrupted and roads, bridges and other infrastructure damaged. As of 04 August 17,632 people had moved from their homes to stay in relief camps. No casualties have been reported, however. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force have been distributing relief supplies to affected communities.

Levels of the river have been high since heavy monsoon rainfall last week. According to India’s Central Water Comission (CWC) the Godavari river at Dowlaiswaram in East Godavari District stood at 14.97 metres on 04 August and was forecast to rise to above 15 metres. Warning level is 14.25m and danger 16.08m. At Kunavaram, the river stood at 39.17 metres on 04 August. Warning levels here is 37.74m and danger level 39.24m.

The Godavari is India’s second longest river after the Ganga. The river runs from its source in the state of Maharashtra in western India, across the country to Andhra Pradesh on India’s southeastern coast. Torrential rain in Maharashtra over the last few days has caused the river to break its banks there causing major flooding in the district of Nashik, among others.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall in the next two days in several parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh.

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