Incessant rains distrupt normal life in Prakasam district

Ongole (Prakasam District): The continuous rain throughout Prakasam district due to Cyclone Mandous almost paralyzed public life on Monday.

In the last three days since Saturday, Pedacherlopalli mandal received 240 mm of rain, while Ponnalur got 207 mm, Singarayakonda 191 mm, Marripudi 177 mm, Pamur 172 mm, Kondapi 164 mm, Zarugumalli 160 mm, Ongole 160 mm, Veligandla 156 mm, Santhanuthalapadu 139 mm, Yerragondapalem 134 mm, Hanumanthunipadu 132 mm, Tangutur 131 mm, Donakonda 125 mm, Podili 125 mm, Kothapatnam 124 mm, Markapur 121 mm, Dornala 116 mm, Kanigiri 115 mm, Chimakurthy 115 mm, Chandrasekhara Puram 113 mm, Naguluppalapadu 107 mm, Maddipadu 107 mm, Kurichedu 107 mm, Tripuranthakam 101 mm and Konakanamitla received 101 mm.

Cotton, chilli, tobacco, red gram and paddy farmers across the district are most worried as they were afraid that the roots of the crops may rot in the flood water and cause heavy losses. As the flood inflow is heavy at the Rallapadu project, the officials opened one gate and released 1000 cusecs of water to downside. They alerted the public at Manneru rivulet flood areas like Lingasamudram, Valetivaripalem, Gudluru, Ulavapadu, and Singarayakonda mandals.

The denizens from low-lying areas in Ongole including Nethaji Nagar, Arava Colony and others were submerged in rainwater. Municipal Commissioner M Venkateswara Rao visited the colonies and saw that the rainwater stocked on the roads was routed through the drains with the help of earthmovers and proclainers.

He also ordered sanitary officials to make sure the silt and waste clogging the drains are removed immediately.