Vijayawada: Low pressure in the Bay of Bengal drawn heavy rains have caused ruination in Kadapa, Chittoor and Nellore districts in Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday reviewed the situation and appointed three special officers to monitor the relief and restoration operations.
Kadapa district bore the brunt of heavy rains. Railway track was badly damaged and crops in thousands of acres was submerged in flood waters as the Annamayya reservoir has breached. The entire Kadapa city was inundated in flood water. The Buggavanka rivulet which flows in the middle of the city is in spate resulting in several residential areas getting inundated.
People have been shifted from 250 localities to safer places in the surrounding areas. Breaches to the Buggavanka rivulet developed at various places resulting in flood water entering into the residential areas in the city. The officials set up 11 relief camps for the victims. Almost all the main thoroughfares, arterial roads and lanes were seen in waist deep water in Kadapa city. “The city is witnessing a deluge for the first time”, an official told the media, adding that over 2000 people have been shifted to safer places.
Hundreds of vehicles including cars have got stranded in the busy Kadapa-Tirupati National Highway. The water level of Buggavanka rivulet is rising alarmingly causing concern to the officials. The earth bund of Annamayya project breached for about 500 meters resulting in over 2.50 lakh cusecs of water flowing through the breach.
Gundluru, Sesham Ambapuram and Mandapalli villages were under flood water. According to an unconfirmed report, at least 30 persons of the village had gone missing and search operation had been launched for them.
The railway track between Nandalur-Hastavaram badly damaged about one kilometre. The train services on the route were cancelled. The earth bund of Pinch project breached for about three meters. The officials said that the flood waters of Annamayya project would enter Rajampet, Penagaluru and Nandaluru mandals and alerted the villagers of the mandals. Officials said that crops including paddy, papaya, banana and onion in thousands of acres were damaged as the Papagni river water gushed into the fields.
As many as 100 sheep washed away in the flood water, shepherds told the media. The crest gates of Veligallu project were lifted to release flood water to the downstream. Road connectivity to more than 350 villages in the district was disrupted following breaches of road and overflowing of flood water. Hundreds of houses in Kamalapuram village was inundated in the flood water of Papagni. The officials have taken steps to shift the victims from Yerrapallitanda, Islampur and Rotarypuram to safer places.
The officials declared a holiday to all educational institutions in view of the grim situation. A car with four passengers washed away in the Chitravati flood water at DK palli in Veldurti Mandal in Anantapur. However, they were rescued. The Kadiri town in Anantapur district was inundated in the flood water of Maddiluru rivulet. The town was cut off from the outer world as roads have been washed away.
Breaches to several highways, irrigation tanks and canals were reported from various places in Kadapa, Nellore and Chittoor districts. In Nellore district, the Swarnamukhi river is in spate with heavy inflow. The bridge on the Naidupet-Venkatagiri road submerged in the floodwater and vehicular traffic stopped on the road. The flood water of Swarnamukhi river submerged crops in hundreds of acres. The Somasila river is receiving 3.75 lakh cusecs of water and the same is being discharged by lifting 12 crest gates. The people living in the low lying areas were alerted and arrangements were being made to shift them to safer places.
The Chief Minister appointed Education department Principal Secretary B. Rajasekhar as Special Officer to Nellore district, Seshibhusan to Kadapa district and Marketing Commissioner Pradyumna to Chittoor district to monitor the flood situation and relief operations.
