Heavy rains continue to lash Chittoor

Tirupati: The incessant rains lashing the district since Wednesday continuing in most of the mandals in the eastern part of Chittoor district bringing cheers to farmers preparing for Rabi crop with many tanks receiving inflows. Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateshwara also witnessing heavy rains leading to good inflows into the dams including Papavinasam, Kumaradhara-Pasupudhara and Gogarbham dams.

According to official sources, since yesterday, very heavy rainfall ranging from 115 mm to 204 mm recorded in 8 mandals, heavy rainfall ranging from 64 mm to 115 mm recorded in 13 mandals, rather heavy rainfall ranging from 35 to 64 mm in 11 mandals and moderate rainfall in another 11 mandals recorded. The total rainfall the district had received was 3,059 mm registering an average rainfall of 46.4 mm (till 8 am Thursday).

Heavy to moderate rainfall recorded in other 43 mandals of the district, thanks to the low pressure developed over South West Bay of Bengal. Almost all the mandals in the eastern part of the district in Tirupati and Chittoor divisions received good rains resulting in starting of inflows into many minor irrigation tanks while Kalangi reservoir received 4.5 mcft of water which would go up with the rains continuing in the catchment areas.

Keeping in view of the heavy rains forecasted by Met officials on Thursday, District Educational Officer on the direction of District Collector declared holiday on Thursday to the schools in 27 mandals in the two divisions. However, no casualty or damage to properties reported so far in the rain hit mandals.

Tirumala: According to TTD Joint Executive Officer (Tirumala) KS Srinivasa Raju, a total of 540 lakh gallon water had been received in the dams on the hills till Thursday afternoon which would go up as the rains continuing in the catchment areas of the reservoirs. Highest rainfall of 253 mm was recorded in Papavinasam dam area while the rainfall in Kumaradhara-Pasupudhara, it is 170 and in Gogarbahm dam area 90 mm, Raju said adding that the water received is sufficient for 15 days and there is no shortage of water till the summer next year.

“As the Met officials predicting more rains in the coming days due to low pressure in the sea the water available will be sufficient to meet our requirements after summer months also,” he averred. The JEO said that the TTD management alerted the pilgrims coming in vehicles and also on foot through the footpaths to move cautiously keeping in view of the heavy rains.

In some places, due to the incessant rains, a boulder which was displaced fell on the ghat road leading to Tirumala, late last night and they were promptly removed by the Engineering department personnel keeping a close watch on both the ghat road, he informed.

The Vigilance and Engineering department working in coordination are on round-the-clock vigil on the ghat road and regulating the vehicular movements besides cautioning the drivers to drive cautiously on the ghat roads, he said affirming that there was no interruption to vehicular movement due to the big stones falling on the road.

Meanwhile, the two water falls, Kapilatheertham and Malavanigunta, flowing in full force following the heavy rains in Tirumala forests attracting people from the city as well as pilgrims eager to witness the cascading water bewitching the eyes.