Andhra Pradesh: Heavy Rains Continue, Death Toll Rises to Nine

It is now holding over 25 tmc ft of water and the government has made a decision to fill it up to 30 tmc ft and release excess water into the sea through Prakasam Barrage. Two helicopters of Indian Navy were also kept ready. With Munneru rivulet also in spate, the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada is full to the brim. Consequently, all the 70 crest gates of the barrage have been lifted to let out 1.42 lakh cusecs into the sea.

Heavy rainful led to mayhem in Andhra Pradesh as four deaths were reported on September 23 due to it. Five people were died on Thursday in separate rain-related incidents in Guntur. Several colonies in the port city of Machilipatnam were inundated as 15.8 cm rain wreaked havoc on the city, while Pedana in Krishna district received 16 cm rain in a matter of few hours.

Vehicular traffic on Rajahmundry-Visakhapatnam and Addanki (Prakasam district) – Narketpalli (Nalgonda district in Telangana) highways came to a standstill at different places, particularly at Rajanagaram on NH-16 in East Godavari district.

Railway staff, with the support of local people, have undertaken fix works of the tracks on a war footing.

Trains have been canceled on Nadikudi-Guntur section, and express trains from Secunderabad, which normally pass through Guntur, have been diverted as the rail tracks near Piduguralla. Road transport in Palnadu was also disrupted. Taking stock of the situation, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu put the district collectors on high alert and directed ministers Nimmakayala Chinarajappa and P Pulla Rao to rush to Narasaraopet to supervise relief operations.

Yesterday’s well marked low pressure area over coastal Andhra Pradesh and neighbourhood now lies over north Coastal part of the state and adjoining areas of Chhattisgarh and Telangana, the meteorological centre here said today.

Seven relief camps have been set up by the district administration where hundreds of flood-hit persons are taking shelter.

“Enumeration of the losses will be undertaken once the flood water recedes”, Rajappa said.