The Indian Army is actively conducting Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in Vijayawada to address severe damage caused by heavy water flow. The damage has led to breaches at three critical locations.
Initially, the breaches were between 10 to 15 meters wide at two sites. The civil administration managed to temporarily control the situation, but their efforts inadvertently redirected the water flow to a third breach. This third breach has now expanded to 80 to 100 meters, with water currents reaching speeds of up to 8 knots, and the situation is expected to worsen.
To stabilize the situation, the Army has begun a two-layer repair strategy. They are using locally made Gabion baskets filled with stones, which are each 5x2x2 meters in size. These baskets will be stacked and reinforced with a 4-meter-high bund and earthwork. Additionally, HESCO baskets filled with sandbags will be tested to evaluate their effectiveness in controlling the water.
The Indian Army released a statement saying that their team is fully committed to managing the situation. They assured that preventive measures will continue to be implemented as the water flow increases.
