Large tracts of the entire central
belt of India-from the east coast all the way acrossto
the west coast -continue to beinundated by floods. Thousands
of villages in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, and Andra
Pradesh have been flooded. The floods have primarily been caused
by opening of overflowing dams. More than 350 people
have been killed and around 4.5 million people forced to leave their homes
across the five states since the last weekend. Activists criticise the
mismanagement of dam waters, saying levels were too high prior to
the monsoons and the sudden release of water had contributed to the
floods.
The Ukai Dam was overflowing due
to heavy rainfall in catchments in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra,
and 900,000 cusecs of water had to be released. 19,000 cusecs of
water was discharged from Gangapur dam, 12,000 cusecs from Darna
dam, 34,000 cusecs from Palkhed, 165,000 from Nadur-Madmeshwar in
and around Nasikand 5,100 cusecs from Vishnupuri project in Nanded.
The Barvi dam near Kalyan in Thane district is overflowing, forcing
authorities to discharge over 12000 cuses water.
Thirty villages on the banks of the Narmada river have been alerted following the overflow of the Sardar Sarovar dam in central Gujarat. High alert has been sounded in more than 30 villages in Kheda and Anand districts as 600,000 cusecs water is being released from the Vanakbori and Kadana dams over the Mahi river in central Gujarat and 55,000 cusecs from the Dharoi dam over the Sabarmati river in north Gujarat.
In Andhra Pradesh, a fresh flood threat is looming large over parts of the state as the Krishna river is in full spate even as the flood level in Godavaririver is receding. Over 550,000 cusecs of water is being released from Nagarjunasagar dam in Bheema. It is feared that if this continues low-lying areas along the Krishnariver will be flooded.
Thousands have been left homeless by floods in 15 of the 35 districts in the state of Maharashtra, and more than 250 have died. In Andhra Pradesh over 500,000 people had been displaced and over 100 people had died over the past week as 300 villages in East and West Godavaridistricts are still under water. The floods have forced the evacuation of 200 villages in the central states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. In Gujarat, three days of torrential rain, along with the opening of the Ukai Dam over the Tapi river has resulted in the city of Surat, and 62 villages along Tapti in Suratdistrict in south Gujaratremaining marooned for the fourth successive day without the supply of essential commodities.
Major highways linking the flood affected states have been flooded and rail services disrupted creating a huge logistic problem for relief operations.
With more than 80 percent of its area under floodwater, the population in Suratdistrict is being evacuated by military boats and helicopters. Thousands still remain marooned, many without food and water, medicines and essential commodities. The sole supply channel is through Indian Air Force helicopters and army boats. Air dropping of food packets and drinking-water pouches. has lead to wastage and now supplies are being ferried in boats.
Until a week ago, a stretch of land in Banaskantha district of Gujarat along the state's border with Pakistanwas just like the rest of the region-desert. But a few days of rains have turned the barren land into a lake spreading over 75 km between Nadabet and Pakistanborder.
The floods pose huge health risks with possibilities of epidemics breaking out. Hundreds already suffer from fever, respiratory infections and waterborne diseases due to lack of clean drinking water and poor sanitation.
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