Floods damaged crops of 71,796 farmers and 2,405 km of roads in Andhra Pradesh; Godavari rises again

A farmer shows a damaged paddy field due to heavy rain in Gopalapuram village of Parvathipuram-Manyam district. | Photo credit: V. RAJU

Recent heavy rains triggered by a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal have left the Godavari Delta and Godavari Valley braced for floods for the second time in six days as the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram in Rajamahendravaram continued to receive more than 9.7 million cusecs of flood water till Monday.

According to initial estimates, the rains damaged horticultural crops on more than 1,734 hectares and agricultural crops on about 44,029 hectares.

Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu said horticulture crops were affected in 89 mandals and 351 villages in 14 districts of Andhra Pradesh. According to preliminary estimates prepared by the agriculture department, crops were damaged in 1,229 villages in 190 mandals, affecting an estimated 71,796 farmers.

BC Roads and Buildings Minister Janardhan Reddy said that an estimated 2,405 km of roads were damaged across the state, with the tentative cost of rehabilitation pegged at ₹1,498.30 crore. The largest extent of damage was reported in Srikakulam district where 412 km of R&B roads were affected, he said.

With water from the Sabari and Siler rivers flowing into the Godavari after heavy rains in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, inflows are increasing in Dowleswaram.

A flood alert has been issued for 171 villages in Polavaram district, which lies between Sabari and Godavari. “As many as 55 motor boats and eight launches are ready for rescue operations in Kunavaram and VRPuram. 17 dwellings have been submerged till Monday,” said Integrated Tribal Development Agency project director Subham Nokwal.

In the district Dr. BRAmbedkar Konaseema, the island villages were advised to leave and avoid crossing the Godavari in traditional boats.

In North Andhra, flood waters are slowly receding in several villages of Srikakulam district. Crops in Santabommali, Polaki, Meliaputti, Jalumuru and Burja villages were inundated by floods in Vamsadhara, Nagavali, Bahuda and other rivers. The total damage should be around 150 million crowns. In Allina in Burja mandal, 1,100 acres of paddy fields were damaged.

Published – 29 Sep 2026 09:44 IST