Heavy rains paralyse normal life in AP district; NDRF pressed into service

 Very heavy rainfall under the influence of a low pressure area over Bay of Bengal have left Palnadu region in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh battered and rail and road transport disrupted due to flooding, while NDRF have been deployed for rescue and relief operation.

This is the second time in less than a fortnight that Palnadu have witnessed very heavy downpour of up to 22.8 cm which threw normal life out of gear.

Many passenger trains were cancelled on Nadikudi-Guntur section, while express trains from Secunderabad, which normally pass through Guntur, have been diverted as the rail tracks near Piduguralla were inundated.

Three teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in the Palnadu region for rescue and relief operations even as the weather forecast said rains are likely to continue till tomorrow.

About 40 passengers of an APSRTC bus were rescued after it was stuck midstream on a causeway at Krosuru and flood water gushed in from Utukuru rivulet. Locals used ropes to rescue the stranded passengers.

The K L Rao Sagar Project, downstream Nagarjuna Sagar, has been receiving heavy water inflows due to downpour in the catchment areas of neighbouring Telangana.

It is currently holding over 25 tmc ft of water and the government has decided to fill it up to 30 tmc ft and release excess water into the sea through Prakasam Barrage. With Munneru rivulet also in spate, the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada is full to the brim.

Accordingly, Krishna district authorities have started discharging 10,000 to 20,000 cusec of water from the barrage into the sea.

Rivulets in Guntur district are in spate, inundating housing colonies in Sattenapalli town and nearby villages.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation from the Command and Control Centre here and directed the officials to keep two copters ready for emergency operations.

Deputy Chief Minister (Home and Disaster Management) N China Rajappa and Agriculture Minister P Pulla Rao were rushed to Guntur district to oversee the rescue and relief operations.

Revenue officials have made arrangements for drinking water and food packets for the affected people.

Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, who represents Sattenapalli, is personally monitoring the rescue and relief operations in the region. He put revenue and police officials on alert to help the affected people.

Most places in Guntur district like Nakarikallu, Sattenapalli, Narsaraopet, Muppalla, Medikonduru received 10 to 22 cm of rainfall since yesterday.

The government opened seven relief camps at Narsaraopet, Sattenapalli, Vatticherukuru, Phirangipuram, Rajupalem and Medikonduru for the flood-hit people in Palnadu region.

With the roads coming under water, transport services were totally disrupted in Sattenapalli, Narsaraopet and Pidiguralla. Many villages in the Palnadu region remained cut off as rivulets caused flooding and disrupted transport services.

Road transport from Guntur to Hyderabad via Piduguralla remained cut off as rivulets in the region were overflowing.

The APSRTC bus station in the coastal town Machilipatnam was marooned following heavy rain, paralysing the services.

The Chief Minister asked the Collectors of Kurnool, Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna and East Godavari districts to remain on alert and take all steps to prevent loss of life and property.