Both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh states are suffering with worst floods in 100 years. With the over flowing of all reservoirs in Krishna basin, hundreds of villages are under waters and lakhs of people have become homeless.
Many cities submerged in water. Doubts were expressed about the safety of mighty projects like Sri Sailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Prakasam barrage. Both the state and Central government remained silent spectators to the disaster, except showing lip sympathy and extending some nominal relief to the victims.
At least 170 people, including 132 in Karnataka have died due to floods and some hundreds of people are still missing.
Andhra Pradesh is facing the worst ever floods in its 100 years, as 60 per cent of Kurnool district was submerged on Friday (October 2), leaving thousands homeless and stranded without food and water. Nearly two lakh people have been evacuated to relief camps in the worst-affected districts of Kurnool, Mahabubnagar and Krishna district.
The gates of several projects on the Krishna River -- including Jurala, Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Prakasham -- have been opened to release the flood water. While the inflow into Srisailam reservoir has touched an all-time high of 21 lakh cusecs, 10 lakh cusecs of water has been discharged from Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs.
"This is a never-before-seen situation. Never in the past has the Krishna basin witnessed such floods and inflow of water into the dams. I am urging the people in the low-lying areas not to take the threat lightly. Move out to the safer places and cooperate with the officials," said the state Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasad Rao in Hyderabad.
Army boats and Air Force helicopters on Friday, began to rescue hundreds of people marooned at several places. Thousands have been rendered homeless. Over 40,000 houses have been damaged. Chief Minister K Rosaiah said the flood situation was grim and army personnel have been deployed for rescue operations. Six helicopters have been pressed into service to rescue people. While four helicopters are being used to airlift the flood-hit in Kurnool district, two choppers were deployed in Mahabubnagar district.
However, the disaster exposed the unpreparedness of the administration at all levels. Though the arrival of flood water was not sudden like that of some cyclone or tsunami, no precautionary measures were taken in cities like Kurnool. Even relief materials were not kept ready at needy places.
Experts view the floods in Krishna basin are not just major tragedy, but a national shame. Engineers and scientists around the world shall be horrified to learn National Disaster Management Authority of India doesn’t consider Bad Management of Dams or Neglect of Maintenance of Embankment as primary causes of floods.
Krishna Basin has the highest dam storage capacity of all rivers at 31 BCM or 20 per cent of all big dams but get under 4 per cent of all river flows. Yet NDMA ensured worlds worst floods due to mismanagement.
By eliminating Capacity and Storage of Krishna in Andhra Pradesh at 16 BCM and 11 BCM from 31.5 BCM and 25.6 BCM the dams in Karnataka were 100 per cent full at the end of South West monsoon and had no capacity to absorb any discharge from South East monsoon that struck on the very first week.
Exactly same situation happened in 2006 Surat Floods, Satlej Floods twice last year.
NDMA under Gen Vij had caused biggest avoidable floods due to gross incompetence – Surat Floods, Satej Floods twice, Kosi Floods last year and now Krishna Basin floods. NDMA is flooded with retired officials, who had little specialisation of disaster management. The flood in Kurnool city is sad reflection of casual attitude of dealing disaster by the state government. Though it was known upper reservoirs getting full of water since four days, no attempt was made by the state government to release water slowly from Srisailam dam.
Srisailam dam was originally designed for hydel power generation. But credit goes to Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy to change it for irrigation purpose by diverting water to Pothyreddypadu reservoir. As a result, he started maintaining higher water levels in Srisailam with out taking into account of possible dangers. This political act had led to severe damage to Kurnool city.
Floods are the most frequent natural calamity that India has to face almost every year in varying magnitudes in some or other parts of the country. The annual precipitation including snow-fall is estimated at 4000 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM). Out of this, the seasonal rainfall in monsoon is of the order of 3000 BCM.
Rainfall in India is mainly dependent on the South-West and North-East monsoons, on cyclonic depressions and disturbances and on violent local storms. Most of the rainfall in India (80 per cent) takes place under the influence of South-West monsoon between June and September (4 months). Remaining (20 per cent) rainfall is received from northeast monsoon, cyclonic storm, local storms and cloud bursts.
Flooding is caused by the inadequate capacity within the banks of the rivers to contain the high flows brought down from the upper catchments due to heavy rainfall. Areas having poor drainage characteristic get flooded by accumulation of water from heavy rainfall.
According to the estimate of the National Commission on Flood, the area prone to floods in the country was of the order of 40 million hectares, out of which it is considered that 80 per cent, ie, 32 million hectares could be provided with reasonable degree of protection.
It is high time for the state and Central government to take serious view of disaster management. In such situations, it would be better to hand over civil administration to the army for effective relief activities.
