A flood gate at Andhra Pradesh’s KL Rao multi-purpose irrigation project (Pulichintala) was washed away in the early hours of Thursday, August 5. Following this, Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) Commissioner K Kannababu cautioned people living by the trajectory of the Krishna river as higher inflows are expected.
The flash flood alert was issued after the 16th flood gate of the Pulichintala project was washed away due to a technical issue. “Officials will set up a stop lock gate in the place of that gate. Because of this, higher flood inflows are expected at the Prakasam Barrage,” Kannababu said.
Guntur District Collector Vivek Yadav asked people living near the Krishna river basin to remain vigilant. He said, “Up to six lakh cusecs of flood water will be released into the Krishna river due to a technical problem at Gate 16 of the Pulichintala project. People living near the Krishna river basin should be vigilant. Authorities in the flood-hit areas have been alerted by teleconference. The current outflow at Pulichintala Dam is 4,51,192 cusecs while the inflow is 1,33,695 cusecs. Security has been beefed up at the dam. People should not attempt to cross the Krishna river in view of the rising flood waters.”
Both Krishna and Guntur district administrations have been alerted in the light of this development.
Irrigation Minister Anil Kumar Yadav visited the affected gate along with other officials and took stock of the situation. The Minister said the hydraulic girder broke when the gate was being lifted at around 3.30 am on Thursday.
Anil Kumar said, “An expert committee has been set up to further examine the technical issue. Officials have been alerted. Experts are on their way from Polavaram. The gate is likely to be installed by tomorrow. The incident happened just 10 or 15 seconds after the water was released.”
The Minister said two project engineers and experts have already visited the gate and two more teams of engineering experts have been called in.
Pulichintala Project Director Suryanarayana said the gate can be repaired if the water level drops by 10 TMC. He said, “An expert committee has been set up to look further into the issue. The gate is likely to be repaired by tomorrow.”