Heavy rains lash coastal districts

Vijayawada/ Rajamahendravaram : Normal to heavy rains triggered by depression in Bay of Bengal lashed some parts of Andhra Pradesh particularly the erstwhile Godavari districts and NTR district disrupting normal life and inundating the farmlands and disrupting the traffic in some parts of the State on Saturday.

Godavari floodwater levels are gradually increasing due to heavy rains in the catchment areas of the Godavari river and uplands in Telangana.

Floodwater levels at Bhadrachalam stood at 35 feet on Saturday. The State government has sanctioned Rs 21.5 crore for the rescue and relief operations and three NDRF teams were drafted on special duty to take up rescue and relief operations in case Godavari flood fury increases due to heavy rains.

Three NDRF teams were sent to Konaseema, East Godavari and one to Alluri Sitarama Raju district. Besides, three State Disaster Response Force teams were sent to Eluru and ASR districts. Two teams were sent to Eluru district and one to Alluri Sitarama Raju district. These six teams are ready with boats, life jackets, ropes and other materials used in rescue operations. The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority has forecast normal rainfall in parts of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema on July 21.

Farmlands in several hundred acres were submerged in floodwaters in the erstwhile Godavari district. Crops were inundated in some parts of Godavari districts causing loss to the farmers. Normal to heavy rains continued for the past few days in erstwhile Godavari districts, NTR, Krishna, Guntur and North Coastal districts. Canals, streams and rivulets are overflowing due to heavy rains and the impact of Godavari floods.

Thousands of acres of paddy, vegetable crops and horticulture crops were submerged in the rainwater. In some places, roads and culverts were washed away disrupting traffic and transportation.

Some villages were also trapped in floodwaters. In East Godavari district, 8,000 hectares of paddy fields and 51 hectares of paddy nurseries were submerged due to heavy rains. In Konaseema, flood affected 2,000 acres of paddy and 10,000 acres of prepared nurseries.

In Kakinada district, 1,100 hectares of paddy and 50 hectares of paddy nurseries were inundated.

Farmers are expressing concern that their nurseries will be rotten if rainwater stagnates for some more days in the farmlands. Crop loss is high in Mandapeta, Kapileswarapuram, Katrenikona, Razole and Atreyapuram mandals.

In all, 3,000 acres of paddy fields in Tallapudi, Kovvur, Chagallu, Gopalapuram and Nidadavolu mandals have been flooded due to the furious flow of the Kovvada canal.

Farmers said that 1,600 acres in Nidadavolu and 750 acres in Nallajerla have been submerged by the Erra Kaluva.

Erra Kaluva also flows at dangerous levels in Gundepalli, Telikicharla, Chodavaram, and Anantapalli areas. In Eluru district, 12 villages were affected due to overflowing of Pedavaagu stream. Minister for Information and Public Relations Kolusu Parthasarathy said Pedavaagu project was damaged to an extent of 200 metres and 12 villages were hit due to heavy rains and flooding at Velerupadu and Kukkanuru mandals.

Over 7,450 acres of paddy crop was damaged in these areas. Besides, horticulture crops were damaged in over 106 acres.

On the other hand, around 50 villages in Alluri Sitarama Raju district were affected due to floods to Godavari river and overflowing of streams and hill brooks like Sokuleru, Cheekati Vagu, Annavaram Vagu, and Koyaguru streams. These brooks are flowing at a dangerous level. In some places, the roads were washed away due to soil erosion.

The water level in Sabari, a tributary of River Godavari, is increasing due to the effect of raging streams and meanders. Scores of families are moving to safer places due to heavy rains and floods in V R Puram, Kunavaram and Chinturu mandals.

National Highway 326 from AP to Odisha through the agency was partially washed away at Koyaguru and the traffic stopped. On the other hand, the road connection between Chinturu - VR Puram mandals has been severed. A bridge under construction between Chhattisgarh and Odisha is being used unofficially. The road being laid on it was damaged by the flood and traffic stopped. Movement of vehicles came to halt in some villages of ASR district due to heavy rains and floods. Floodwater inflows are from Bhadrachalam to Polvaram have been increasing for the last two days.

Meanwhile, Alluri Sitarama Raju District Collector AS Dinesh Kumar has urged the officials to be on high alert to face any untoward incident and take precautionary measures to check loss of property and lives. The District Collector has issued an order banning the movement of heavy vehicles, buses, and private jeeps from 7 pm to 6 am in the five ghat roads of the district from Saturday. These include Vaddadi – Paderu ghat Road, Paderu – Chintapalli, Kokkarapalli ghat Road, Dounuru – Lambasinghi ghat Road, Rampachodavaram – Chinturu– Maredumilli ghat Road, S. Kota – Araku, Anantagiri ghat Road.

The State government is monitoring the flood and rains situation closely and asked the Collectors and superintendents of police to be on high alert in view of heavy rains caused by depression in Bay of Bengal and Godavari floods.