The Andhra Pradesh government, on Sunday, asked the villagers living on the banks of river Krishna to vacate their villages as the area is expected to face critical flood situation following the release of water in the river.

The irrigation department released 10.5 lakh cusecs of water from Nagarjunasagar at 1000 hrs on Sunday. The water is expected to reach Prakasam barriage at Vijayawada by midnight. Panchayat Raj Minister Botsa Satyanarayana told reporters that if the 10.5 lakh cusecs of water from Nagarjunasagar reached Vijayawada by Sunday night, it would worsen the flood situation. He said the government had identified 15 more villages as vulnerable in addition to the 42 villages already identified as in danger.

The minister said the residents of all these villages have been asked to vacate the area and if they failed to comply with the instructions, force would be used to shift them to safe places. He said 45 relief camps have been set up in Krishna district to provide flood-hit people facilities such as food, drinking water, milk for children, and health services.

In Vijayawada, 29 relief camps have been set up and so far 41,000 people from Bhavanipuram, Krishnalanka and other areas have been shifted to these camps while another one lakh people will be shifted soon, he said. The minister said 150 defence personnel and 60 trained personnel from National Disaster Management have reached various locations in the district to conduct rescue operation if required.