Floodwaters from Peddavagu project inundate farmlands in Andhra’s Velairpad

Kothagudem: Agricultural lands in several villages in Velairpad mandal of Eluru district in Andhra Pradesh were inundated as floodwaters from Peddavagu project in Aswaraopet mandal of Telangana’s Bhadradri Kothagudem district. The mandal received an extremely heavy rainfall of 27.8 cm by 6 pm on Wednesday.

The project located at Gummadavelli on the borders of Telangana-Andhra Pradesh remained defunct after it was breached in July 2024 following heavy rains in its catchment. A ring bund built on the left side of the spillway washed away due to floods in the first week of September the same year.

The project has been receiving inflows due to cyclonic rains in its catchment for the past few days and on Wednesday the floodwaters flowed over the damaged ring bund further breaching it and inundated farmland in around seven villages in Velairpad mandal that falls under the project ayacut.

Andhra Pradesh officials have alerted the residents and farmers in the mandal while asking them to move to safe places. Meanwhile, Dammapet and Mulakalapalli mandals received very heavy rainfall of 18.8 cm and 14.9 cm by 6 pm in the day.