Visakhapatnam: Villagers along the Vamasadhara and Nagavali rivers in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts were put on alert on Monday, because of a threat of floods due to incessant rain, even as 53 people and 20 sheep were rescued from the rising Vamsadhara, district officials said.Fishermen were also advised not to venture into the sea along and off the state coast till further instructions from the authorities. The high waves would be in the range of 3.5-3.8 meters till July 18 along the Srikakulam coast, officials said.While the people living close to the riverbanks had a tough time on Monday with the water swirling towards their dwellings, government departments like police, revenue, animal husbandry, health and fire were put on high alert to meet any emergency, the officials said. State irrigation officials opened all the 22 floodgates up to one-meter height at Gotta barrage over the Vamsadhara in Srikakulam district to release nearly 24,000 cusecs of water into the sea. Similarly, officials opened gates at Thotapalli barrage over Nagavali to release the flood waters.The outflow of flood waters of Nagavali at Old Bridge in Srikakulam town was 10,200 cusecs on Monday, according a senior irrigation department official. The flood level of the Nagavali river at the Narayanapuram barrage on the border Srikakulam and Vizianagaram was 20, 100 cusecs, said the official.The flood situation in the two main rivers of the districts is attributed to the incessant rainfall in the catchment areas of the rivers located in neighbouring Odisha.

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