2024 Vijayawada floods

Last updated
2024 Vijayawada floods
Flood Water on Main road.jpg
Flood water near Ajit Singh Nagar on 8th September
Date31 August 2024 (2024-08-31)–9 September 2024 (2024-09-09)
Location Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India
CauseHeavy rains
Deaths35

In early September 2024, Vijayawada, a city in Andhra Pradesh, India, experienced severe flooding triggered by exceptionally heavy rainfall that began on August 31, 2024. The floods resulted in at least 35 deaths in NTR district and significantly impacted approximately 270,000 people in Vijayawada alone. [1] The disaster was characterized by over 29 cm of rainfall in a single day, which overwhelmed the Krishna River and Budameru Rivulet. The flooding caused extensive damage to infrastructure, homes, and agricultural land. [2] The extreme rainfall caused catastrophic flooding, severely damaging infrastructure, homes, and agricultural land. The flooding exposed critical issues with the city's flood management infrastructure and urban planning, highlighting the urgent need for improved measures to handle such extreme weather events.

Contents

Background

The Budameru Rivulet, which flows through Vijayawada, plays a crucial role in draining the basin between the Godavari and Krishna Rivers into Kolleru Lake. [3] Historically, this rivulet has been prone to overflowing, leading to the construction of a diversion canal designed to redirect its flow into the Krishna River from Velagaleru village, situated 15 km from the city. However, during the severe rainfall event in late August 2024, the rivulet was overwhelmed like never before. Torrential rains in the NTR district and neighboring Khammam district caused a significant increase in runoff, which dramatically surged the flow into Budameru. The Krishna River, already swollen from preceding rains, was unable to accommodate the additional inflows from Budameru, which reached an unprecedented 35,000 cusecs, far surpassing the Budameru diversion canal's capacity of 7,000 cusecs. This immense volume of water led to extensive flooding in Vijayawada, exacerbated by breaches in the Budameru Rivulet. The floodwaters breached several manmade barriers and inundated areas that had previously been safeguarded by the diversion canal. The canal, which had been designed to manage high flows, proved inadequate for handling the extreme conditions of this event. [4] The flooding not only highlighted the limitations of existing flood control measures but also underscored the impact of urban encroachments on traditional floodplains, contributing to the widespread damage and displacement in the city. [5]

Impact

Budameru overflowing near Ayodhya Nagar Budameru River.jpg
Budameru overflowing near Ayodhya Nagar

The recent floods in Vijayawada have exposed severe vulnerabilities related to encroachment on natural water bodies and inadequate flood management infrastructure. The deluge, which began on August 31, significantly impacted more than half of Vijayawada, causing widespread disruption. The Budameru Rivulet, which normally glides through the city, overflowed violently due to extreme rainfall, exacerbated by the already swollen Krishna River. The river's inability to manage the additional inflows from Budameru. [6] The floodwaters inundated residential areas, particularly affecting those built on the Budameru Rivulet's floodplains. Encroachment along the rivulet and its floodplains has obstructed natural water flow and flood management, worsening the impact of the floods. Key factors contributing to the disaster include the heavy rainfall, which exceeded expected levels, and climate change, which has led to increasingly severe weather events. Encroachments and poor urban planning have also played critical roles, blocking natural water pathways and aggravating the flooding. [7]

The Krishna River also experienced unprecedented flooding, impacting Vijayawada and surrounding regions. Due to continuous heavy rainfall, the river saw record inflows, with the Prakasam Barrage discharging a staggering 1.18 million cusecs of water, the highest in its 70-year history. This massive release was necessary as the barrage reached its capacity, and all 70 gates were opened to manage the excess water. The inflows were intensified by torrential rains in the upstream regions, including the Pulichintala and Nagarjuna Sagar projects. The barrage’s total capacity of 11.9 lakh cusecs was overwhelmed, leading to the temporary suspension of vehicle and pedestrian movement across the structure for safety reasons. The floods inundated low-lying residential areas in Vijayawada and several villages downstream, causing significant damage to infrastructure, homes and agricultural land. [8] Historical data indicates that this flood event surpassed previous records, with only the 2009 and 1998 floods coming close in terms of discharge levels. The state government and irrigation officials took swift action to fortify vulnerable areas with sandbags and other materials to mitigate further damage. Despite these efforts, the floods led to widespread disruptions, including the cancellation of trains and the evacuation of thousands of residents. Relief operations were mobilized with the help of national agencies to address the emergency and assist affected communities. [9]

Prakasam Barrage Boat Crash

Prakasam barrage counterweight being repaired Prakasam Barrage repair.jpg
Prakasam barrage counterweight being repaired

On September 1, 2024, five boats drifted from upstream and collided with Gate No. 69 of the Prakasam Barrage, causing significant damage to its counterweight. [10] The impact led to the counterweight breaking into two pieces, raising concerns about the barrage's safety. The boats, which were not claimed by any known parties, were found to be inadequately anchored, with some tied together with iron chains and others using weak ropes. This has led to suspicions of possible sabotage. [11] Following the incident, the One Town police registered a case and arrested two individuals, Vakkalagadda Ushadri and Komati Ram Mohan, for their suspected involvement. Three special teams have been formed to investigate and identify the boat owners. [12] Repair work on the damaged counterweight began immediately, with a metal box fixed as a temporary measure. Full repairs are expected to take an additional two to three days. Meanwhile, some gates were closed to remove additional boats that were obstructing floodwater flow. The investigation continues to determine the cause of the crash and ensure the barrage’s safety. [13]

Aftermath

People rushing to get food and supplies from a distribution vehicle Food Distribution.jpg
People rushing to get food and supplies from a distribution vehicle
Team working on segregation of relief material at Indira Gandhi Municipal stadium Relief Material distribution team.jpg
Team working on segregation of relief material at Indira Gandhi Municipal stadium

In response to the crisis, extensive relief and rescue operations have been implemented. As of the latest reports, 6,44,536 people have been affected by the floods. To assist those displaced, 190 relief camps have been established, providing shelter for 44,041 individuals. More than 20 drones have been utilized to deliver food and medicines to areas that are inaccessible by traditional means such as boats and helicopters. [14] Rescue efforts have involved significant coordination among various agencies. A total of 26 teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 22 teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed, alongside numerous volunteers and government officials. Five helicopters from the Indian Air Force and Navy have conducted multiple sorties to supply essentials and rescue stranded individuals. [15]

Budameru Bund Restoration

Budameru Bund restoration was commenced, which had suffered multiple breaches, leading to widespread devastation. The restoration process involved immediate measures to plug the breaches in the Budameru Diversion Channel (BDC), with significant support from local authorities, the Water Resources Department, and the Indian Army. To prevent future incidents, an additional layer of the bund was constructed with a gap of 4 meters, filled with black cotton soil, and reinforced using concrete mettle and geotextile technology. [16] Despite the challenges of heavy seepage in the repaired areas, the authorities successfully fortified the bund, shifting their focus to expanding Kolleru outlets to ensure the safe drainage of surplus water. The restoration efforts included increasing the height of the Budameru Bund as a precautionary measure. [17]

Despite challenges like heavy seepage in the repaired areas, the authorities successfully fortified the bund and shifted their focus to expanding Kolleru outlets to ensure the effective drainage of surplus water. Restoration efforts also included increasing the height of the Budameru Bund as a precautionary measure. As part of a broader flood management strategy, Operation Budameru was launched to explore alternative solutions for increasing the discharge capacity in the event of flash floods and cloudbursts, as well as to remove encroachments. This initiative also involves enhancing the flood discharge capacity of the diversion channel, constructing a 20 TMC ft reservoir downstream of the Pulichintala project, and conducting a clean-up drive to remove fish tanks and restore the contours of Kolleru. [18] A comprehensive survey was planned to identify and remove encroachments along the river, aiming to mitigate future risks and protect the region from similar disasters. [19]

Budameru Retaining wall

A retaining wall for the Budameru rivulet was proposed following severe flooding in Vijayawada. [20] The floods, which impacted residential areas including Indira Naik Nagar, New RR Peta, Ajith Singh Nagar, and Payakapuram, highlighted the need for enhanced flood protection measures. The proposed retaining wall aims to prevent future inundation by managing floodwaters more effectively. [21] In addition to the retaining wall, plans include increasing the height of existing bunds along the Budameru rivulet to better contain and redirect floodwaters. Recent efforts have addressed breaches in the Budameru diversion channel, which previously allowed floodwaters to enter the city. [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krishna River</span> River in southern India

The Krishna River in the Deccan plateau is the third-longest river in India, after the Ganges and Godavari. It is also the fourth-largest in terms of water inflows and river basin area in India, after the Ganges, Indus and Godavari. The river, also called Krishnaveni, is 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) long and its length in Maharashtra is 282 kilometres. It is a major source of irrigation in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coastal Andhra</span> Geographic region of Andhra Pradesh, India

Coastal Andhra or Kosta Andhra is a geographic region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Vijayawada is the largest city in this region followed by Guntur. The region share borders with Rayalaseema region and North Andhra region of the state and Telangana. It was a part of Madras State before 1953 and Andhra State from 1953 to 1956. According to the 2011 census, it has an area of 91,915 square kilometres (35,489 sq mi) which is 57.99% of the total state area and a population of 34,193,868 which is 69.20% of Andhra Pradesh state population. This area includes the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh on the Circar Coast between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal, from the northern border with Uttarandhra to Rayalaseema in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kolleru Lake</span> Lake in Andhra Pradesh, India

Kolleru Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in India and forms the largest shallow freshwater lake in Asia. 15 kilometers away from Eluru and 65 km from Rajamahendravaram, the lake is located between the Krishna and Godavari river deltas. Kolleru Lake is located in the Eluru district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The lake is fed directly by water from the seasonal Budameru and Tammileru rivulets, and is connected to the Krishna and Godavari irrigation systems by over 67 major and minor irrigation canals. This lake is a major tourist attraction. Many birds migrate here in winter, such as Siberian crane, ibis, and painted storks. The lake was an important habitat for an estimated 20 million resident and migratory birds, including the grey or spot-billed pelican. The lake was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in November 1999 under India's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and designated a wetland of international importance in November 2002 under the international Ramsar Convention. The wildlife sanctuary covers an area of 308 km2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tungabhadra River</span> River in southern India

The Tungabhadra River starts and flows through the state of Karnataka, India, during most of its course, then through Andhra Pradesh, and ultimately joins the Krishna River near Murvakonda in Andhra Pradesh.

Pulhal Lake, or Pulhal aeri, sometimes spelled Puzhal lake and also known as the Red Hills Lake, is located in Red Hills, Chennai, India. It lies in Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu state. It is one of the two rain-fed reservoirs that supply water to Chennai City, the other one being the Chembarambakkam Lake and Porur Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nagarjuna Sagar Dam</span> Dam in Andhra Pradesh & Nalgonda district, Telangana

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is a masonry dam across the Krishna River at Nagarjuna Sagar which straddles the border between Palnadu district in Andhra Pradesh and Nalgonda district in Telangana. The dam provides irrigation water to the districts of Krishna, Guntur, Palnadu, Prakasam and parts of West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh and also Nalgonda, Suryapet, Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem districts of Telangana. It is also a source of electricity generation for the national grid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaikaluru</span> Town in Andhra Pradesh, India

Kaikaluru is a town in Eluru district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Kaikalur is home to Kolleru Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in India, covering about 90,100 hectares and is a tourist attraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Budameru Rivulet</span> River

Budameru is a rivulet in NTR district which originates in the hills surrounding Mylavaram and empties itself into Kolleru Lake. Budameru is also known as The Sorrow of Vijayawada. In order to control the floods, the rivulet was controlled with the Velagaleru Regulator at Velagaleru village and a diversion channel named, Budameru Diversion Channel (BDC) was constructed from Velagaleru to join Krishna River upstream of Prakasam Barrage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prakasam Barrage</span> Dam in NTR district, Andhra Pradesh

The Prakasam Barrage stretches 1223.5 m across the Krishna River connecting Vijayawada, NTR and Mangalagiri Tadepalle Municipal Corporation, Guntur districts in Andhra Pradesh, India. The barrage serves also as a road bridge and spans over a lake. The three canals associated with the barrage run through the city of Vijayawada, crossing it and giving it a Venetian appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polavaram Project</span> Dam in Eluru district, Andhra Pradesh, India

The Polavaram Project is an under construction multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in the Eluru District and East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh. The project has been accorded National project status by the Central Government of India. Its reservoir back water spreads up to the Dummugudem Anicut and approx 115 km on Sabari River side. Thus back water spreads into parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha States. It gives major boost to tourism sector in Godavari Districts as the reservoir covers the famous Papikonda National Park, Polavaram hydro electric project (HEP) and National Waterway 4 are under construction on left side of the river. It is located 40 km to the upstream of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in Rajamahendravaram City and 25 km from Rajahmundry Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pulichinthala Project</span> Dam in Andhra Pradesh, India

The Pulichintala Project is a multi-purpose water management project for irrigation, hydropower generation, and flood control in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, named after the prominent civil engineer, Kanuri Lakshmana Rao. It is a crucial irrigation facility for farmers in four coastal districts: West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Palanadu, and Prakasam, covering over 13 lakh acres. It has 24 gates and a balancing reservoir with a capacity of 46 Tmcft at 175 feet (53 m) MSL full reservoir level (FRL).

Gundlakamma Reservoir Project is an irrigation project across the Gundlakamma river located in Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, India. The dam, with 3.859 billion cubic feet of live storage capacity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Corporation Limited</span> Electricity transmission and distribution company in Andhra Pradesh, India

Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Corporation Limited, , is a power distribution company owned by the state government of Andhra Pradesh. It was formed on 05-12-2019 to cater the electricity needs of seven districts in Andhra Pradesh state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vykuntapuram</span> Village in Andhra Pradesh, India

Vykuntapuram, also spelled as Vaikuntapuram, is a village in Guntur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Amaravathi mandal of Guntur revenue division. The village forms a part of Andhra Pradesh Capital Region, under the jurisdiction of APCRDA.

Ryves Canal is a canal that originates from the Krishna River and flows through the city of Vijayawada in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Under the Krishna Eastern canal system, there are three gravity canals, namely the Eluru canal, Ryves canal and Bandar (Machilipatnam) canal were dug during British time, mainly for irrigation and navigation purposes. The Ryves canal has a length of 57.70 km and an anicut of 1,75,000 acres with a designed discharge of 4250 cusecs.

The Kanaka Durga Varadhi is a beam bridge Spanning Across Krishna River in between Mangalagiri Tadepalle Municipal Corporation and Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Third Longest Road Bridge in Andhra Pradesh, After Bridges on Godavari River, Whereas the Longest of all bridges is in Andhra Pradesh Capital Region. Its construction was followed by old barrage named Prakasam Barrage, which serves the transportation needs of Vijayawada.

Vykuntapuram Barrage is an Indian barrage and water storage project. It is under construction on Krishna River 23 kilometers upstream of existing Prakasam Barrage with FRL 25M. It is designed to store 10 TMC of flood water coming from the Vyra and Munneru rivers. The backwater of this dam will extend beyond Pokkunuru to the toe of Pulichintala dam. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone for this project on 13 February 2019.

Jogulamba Barrage is a proposed barrage across Krishna River with full pond level (FPL) 274m. It would be located at Veltoor village, Peddamandadi mandal, Wanaparthy district, Telangana, India. This barrage is proposed to divert 3 TMC of water via lift to Yedula Reservoir being built as part of Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme. This would also provide water for Dindi Lift Irrigation Project and Mahatma Gandhi Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme.

Lucknow is a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Gomti River, a tributary of the Ganges River. Located within a humid subtropical climate, the city has a history of being affected by floods caused by heavy rainfall, river overflow, and breaches in the embankments.

References

  1. ↑ IANS (2024-09-09). "Death toll in Andhra Pradesh floods mounts to 45". The News Minute. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  2. ↑ "Situation Report 2 Flood in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana Date: 09th Sept. 2024 (Mon) Time: 10:00 AM (IST) - India | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  3. ↑ Rao, G. V. R. Subba (2024-09-06). "Naidu undertakes aerial survey of Budameru drain's embankment till it merges with Kolleru Lake". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  4. ↑ Rayasam, Raj (2024-09-05). "Wages of greed: Choked Budameru pays back Vijayawada with rare deluge, destruction and death". The South First. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  5. ↑ Umanadh, J. B. S. (2024-09-10). "Encroachments to ill planning: How peaceful Budameru turned ferocious to drown Vijayawada". newsmeter.in. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  6. ↑ Ameen, Md (2024-09-10). "Clearing of encroachments will prevent repeat of tragedy". thehansindia.com. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  7. ↑ "Vijayawada floods, a man-made disaster?". The New Indian Express. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  8. ↑ Apparasu, Srinivasa Rao (3 September 2024). "1.18 million cusecs of water released from barrage inundates parts of Vijaywada". Hindustan Times . Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  9. ↑ Srikanth, S. Guru (2024-09-03). "Prakasam barrage in Andhra Pradesh records highest flood discharge in 70 years". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  10. ↑ "Police investigate possible sabotage in Prakasam Barrage gate damage in Andhra Pradesh". The New Indian Express. 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  11. ↑ "2 nabbed in sabotage of Prakasam barrage". thehansindia.com. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  12. ↑ Kumara, Sri Krishna (2024-09-09). "Two Arrested in Prakasam Barrage Boats Crash Case Sabotage Suspected; TD, YSRC Blame Each Other". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  13. ↑ Rao, G. V. R. Subba (2024-09-08). "Gate no.69 of Prakasam Barrage being repaired". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  14. ↑ Srikanth, S. Guru (2024-09-04). "Andhra Pradesh floods: As relief operations intensify, Vijayawada limps back to normalcy". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  15. ↑ "100-metre breach in flood-hit Vijayawada: How the Army is fixing it". The Economic Times. 2024-09-07. ISSN   0013-0389 . Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  16. ↑ "'Restoration at steady pace': Andhra Pradesh CM on flood relief efforts". The New Indian Express. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  17. ↑ Rao, G. V. Subba (2024-09-07). "Breaches on Budameru Drain closed". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  18. ↑ "CM N Chandrababu Naidu: 'Operation Budameru' to remove encroachers along river". The Times of India. 2024-09-10. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  19. ↑ "CM visits Budameru breaches, flood-hit areas". The Times of India. 2024-09-11. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  20. ↑ "Retaining wall for Budameru in Vijayawada to prevent floods". Deccan Chronicle. 2024-09-08. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  21. ↑ "Vijayawada floods: Retaining wall to prevent flooding from Budameru on cards, says Andhra Pradesh minister P Narayana". The Times of India. 2024-09-08. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  22. ↑ "Govt to consider retaining wall to protect residential areas". The Times of India. 2024-09-09. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2024-09-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.