New Delhi. Heavy rains continue in the Krishna basin due to the impact of Cyclone Murasu. The Water Resources Department (WRD) has stopped water supply to the canals and opened all 70 gates of Prakasam Barrage to divert excess water. At 8 am on Wednesday, 71,000 cusecs of water was coming into Prakasam Barrage, and all this water was released towards the Bay of Bengal through Krishna River. The water level at that time was 12 feet.
Read :- Cyclone Murasu: Alert of heavy rain in the next few hours in 15 states including UP, winds will blow at the speed of 70 KM.
To ease water drainage, 30 gates have been raised by two feet and the remaining 40 gates by one foot. In view of possible flooding, Water Resources Department officials have stopped releasing water into Krishna Eastern, Krishna Western and Guntur canals.
The water in the barrage is mainly coming from Keesara, Munneru and Budmeru streams, which join the Krishna river from the local catchment areas. After the water flow increased, excess water started being released from the barrage from Tuesday night itself. The decision to control water discharge has been taken amid reports of very heavy rain in NTR district and forecast of more rain by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Officials are keeping a close watch on the water coming into the river and the situation in the upper catchment areas. People living in low-lying areas along the banks of Krishna river have been asked to remain alert and follow the instructions of the administration.
According to Andhra Pradesh Directorate of Economics and Statistics (APDES), Edalapadu in Palanadu district of the state recorded the highest rainfall of 269.45 mm in the last 24 hours till 8:30 am on Wednesday. Rainfall figures at 16 automated weather stations in the state crossed 204.5 mm, which the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) classifies as 'extremely heavy rainfall'. Chintalapadu in Tiruvuru mandal of NTR district recorded 178.25 mm rainfall and Ghantasala in Krishna district recorded 222.75 mm rainfall.