Rain batters coastal Andhra Pradesh

Life was affected, transportation was hit and educational institutions were shut down in the coastal district of Krishna, Andhra Pradesh, due to heavy rain and flooding.

A similar situation is prevailing in the districts of Guntur, East and West Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizinagaaram and Srikakulam.

With the River Krishna in spate, water from Srisailam has been released downstream which has resulted in the swelling of seasonal streams such as Enugu Gadda, Nakkalavagu and flooding was witnessed in Mylavaram block of Krishna district.

Vehicular movement between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh came to a grinding halt with the road near Lingala being flooded.

Vijayawada city also bore the brunt with incessant rain flooding the city.

Meanwhile, all the 70 crest gates at the Prakasam Barrage near Vijayawada have been opened so that the water is released in the sea.

With the much dreaded Kondaveeti Vagu, a rivulet, reaching danger levels the Interim Secretariat at Amaravati may be inundated.

Irrigation officials are looking for alternative ways to divert the flood water.

The rain has already affected several chambers in the 4th block of the Interim Secretariat.

Meanwhile, the island villages in river Godavari near Rajamahendravaram are still reeling under flood water for the third day.

At least three persons, who have accidentally slipped into the flood water, are feared dead.

A farmer was washed away in flood water as the boat in which he was travelling capsized after entangling in a whirlpool in Gurajapu Lanka of Mummidivaram block, East Godavari district.

Two men, identified as S Satyanarayana of I.Polavaram and D Vamsee Prasad of Peddalanka of Yelamanchili block, died under similar conditions.

The authorities immediately stopped movement of all the boats in Dhouleswaram project area and also stopped tourist boats to Papikondalu.

In East Godavari district, water levels in Tammileru and Errakalva projects have reached danger limits giving sleepless nights to villagers residing in the vicinity of the projects.

Rain has battered almost all the northern coastal districts of the state.

It has also affected Eluru town, the headquarters of West Godavari district.

Flood water have washed away the Sriparru causeway affecting vehicular traffic between Eluru, in West Godavari district, and Kaikaluru, in Krishna district.