Furious Godavari wreaks havoc

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh faced a perilous situation in the wake of severe floods and heavy rains with lakhs of people being shifted to safer places by a struggling administration, particularly in the Godavari Districts and in the North Coastal Andhra. Godavari itself is witnessing unprecedented inflows wreaking havoc all along its course and the fury of several other rivers which received copious rains adding to the misery of people on Tuesday.

Rains and floods that began for the last two days have inundated hundreds of villages and reports of serious damage to property and crops is being noticed. Even towns, big and small, are facing the wrath of the depression with people helplessly marooned in as is where is condition.

There is no supply of milk and drinking water anywhere as the district administrations are slowly coming to grips with the reality.

All means of transport have been halted and roads have turned into nightmares everywhere. Relief and rehabilitation have become the biggest challenge to the Government with Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy continuously monitoring the floods and directing the officials to plunge into rescue and rehabilitation. Prevention of loss of life is the priority and safe shelters too for the displaced population.

It is feared that the damage to the agriculture and aquaculture could be humongous this season as the floods and rains are a bit too early and not at all good for the farming activity. Cattle safety is another big question with people leaving their homes in an emergency and could not take their precious animals with them.

More than 13 lakh cusecs have flown down from Telangana and Maharashtra to the Dowleswaram barrage leading to the issue of second warning. A third warning is also imminent any moment as the erstwhile Konaseema area faces a deluge.

Konaseema Collector Himanshu Shukla said 18 out of 22 mandals faced the grave danger and SDRF teams consisting 42 members have been deployed along with boats in the district.

According to officials, 17 fishermen stuck in boats were rescued by ONGC and brought to safety from the high seas of Odalarevu in Allavaram mandal. In all, 14 villages of Ramachandrapuram mandal and 37 villages in Amalapuram mandal faced the brunt and more than 1.55 lakh people had been affected while only 1,015 have been rescued. Fifteen pregnant women had been identified and escorted to the safety of rehabilitation centres, he said. More than 400 boats are at the disposal of the administration here.

The reservoirs at Thotapalli, Vengalaraya Sagar, Vattigedda and Tatipudi of vizianagaram and Parvathipuram districts are receiving heavy inflows and the briming reservoirs are posing a direct threat to the lives of people and animals. The district received excess rainfall during June and so far, this month too.

The Chief Minister has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2,000 to each family affected and Rs 1,000 to individuals as a temporary relief.