Andhra Pradesh: Rains, floods damage crops in over one lakh hectares; At least 14 dead

Andhra Pradesh has witnessed torrential rains from October 9 to 13, which wreaked havoc in many areas. Credit: Special arrangement

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy conducted an aerial survey of the flood affected areas in the Krishna and Guntur districts on Monday.

Reddy covered Nandigama, Avanigadda, Penamaluru, Mylavaram and Tadikonda constituencies to examine the extent of damage especially of crops, due to the heavy rains and the Krishna floods from upstream.

In a letter to the centre on Saturday, CM Reddy has pegged the losses suffered by the state at Rs 4500 crore and sought an immediate relief of Rs 1000 crore. At least 14 people were dead due to the rains and floods in AP. He requested the Home Minister Amit Shah to send a central team to estimate the damage.

After the aerial survey, the Chief Minister instructed officials to identify the people who lost crops, houses, and cattle due to the floods in all the districts and compensate them immediately.

According to the minister for agriculture Kurasala Kannababu, primary estimates show that crops in 1,07,797 hectares were damaged in nine districts. Horticulture crops damaged in 13,563 hectares and pisciculture in 2,974 hectares. 478 boats belonging to fishermen were also damaged.

All the reservoirs in East, West Godavari, Krishna, and Guntur districts are filled to the brim. The state machinery is in damage mitigation exercise, restoring the roads, buildings, and electricity.

40 colonies in Kakinada rural were badly affected along with nearby Pithapuram, Prattipadu and Anaparthi. Food and essential commodities are being provided to the affected families. Relief and health camps are also organized in these areas.

Andhra Pradesh has witnessed torrential rains from October 9 to 13, which wreaked havoc in many areas. On October 13, I Polavaram of East Godavari district received a rainfall of about 26.5 CM, followed by Katrenikona with 22.8 CM and Tallarevu with 20 CM. Akivedu and Peravalli of West Godavari district received 20.5 CM and 20.4 CM of rainfall.

Farmers suffered heavy losses with massive crop damage during the harvesting season. Besides the local rains in the state, downpour in Krishna river upstream states - Maharashtra, Telangana and Karnataka caused major inflows at the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada, where the flow on Monday is about five lakh cusecs.