Heavy rains and a cyclone caused severe flooding in Srikakulam district, with rivers Nagavali, Vamsadhara, and Bahuda overflowing, prompting evacuations and warnings for low-lying areas on September 25, 2026.
Heavy rainfall following a cyclone caused the Nagavali, Vamsadhara, and Bahuda rivers in Srikakulam district to overflow, with Nagavali recording an inflow of 59,700 cubic feet per second (cusecs) and Vamsadhara at 41,425 cusecs, according to Dishadaily. The Bahuda river also approached a dangerous threshold, with 34,656 cusecs of inflow. Authorities in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh reported that water from upstream regions, including Odisha’s Muddulapalem and Tottapalli dams, exacerbated the situation, causing the rivers to breach their banks and submerge coastal and low-lying areas.
Officials at Gotta Barrage and Narayanapuram dam reported that the Vamsadhara river’s inflow and outflow balanced at 41,425 cusecs, while the Nagavali river’s inflow and outflow reached 59,700 cusecs. The Bahuda river, influenced by water from Odisha’s Ichchhapuram and Tottapalli regions, saw inflows of 34,656 cusecs, according to Eenadu. These levels triggered immediate warnings for residents in flood-prone zones, with authorities urging them to evacuate to safer locations.
Rivers in Srikakulam district become turbulent.. Collector’s key order to low-lying area people
Authorities Issue Evacuation Orders
Srikakulam district collector issued urgent orders for residents in low-lying areas to relocate to government-arranged relief camps and safer zones. The collector’s office coordinated with revenue, police, and disaster management teams to monitor flood levels and provide real-time updates. Officials warned against crossing flooded roads, bridges, or water bodies, citing the risk of drowning and structural collapses. Control rooms were established to manage emergency responses, with teams deployed to assist displaced families.
Eleven coastal mandals in the district reported school closures, and authorities emphasized continuous monitoring of river levels. The Andhra Pradesh Home Minister, Anitha, directed officials to maintain coordination with Odisha’s authorities to manage cross-border water flow. Despite efforts to release water from dams, the situation remained precarious, with floodwaters threatening to spread further if rainfall continued.
The scale of the flooding highlights the vulnerability of Srikakulam’s coastal and low-lying regions to extreme weather events. While authorities have taken immediate steps to mitigate damage, the prolonged high inflow rates and uncertainty about rainfall patterns leave the region in a state of heightened alert. The key unresolved question remains: how long will the rivers remain at these critical levels, and what impact will this have on agriculture and infrastructure in the coming weeks?
Srikakulam: Heavy floods to Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers
Additional Details from Source Material
At Gotta Barrage, the Vamsadhara river’s inflow and outflow were both recorded at 41,425 cusecs, according to source material. The Nagavali river’s inflow and outflow also matched at 59,700 cusecs, as reported by officials. The Bahuda river’s inflow, influenced by water from Odisha’s Ichchhapuram and Tottapalli regions, reached 34,656 cusecs. These figures were confirmed by local authorities and published in media outlets like Eenadu.
The Andhra Pradesh Home Minister, Anitha, issued specific instructions for coordination with Odisha’s authorities to address cross-border water flow challenges. This directive was part of broader efforts to manage the crisis, as the state’s disaster management teams worked alongside Odisha’s officials to monitor and respond to the flooding.
Control rooms were established to oversee emergency operations, with revenue, police, and disaster management teams stationed in affected regions. These teams provided real-time updates and facilitated evacuations, ensuring that residents in low-lying areas were relocated to safer locations. The emphasis on continuous monitoring and rapid response underscored the severity of the situation, as authorities worked to prevent further loss of life and property.