The Hindu : Front Page : Rain plays havoc in two districts

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Tuesday, Jul 04, 2006

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Front Page

Rain plays havoc in two districts

Special Correspondent

Heavy floods in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram; Thotapalli reservoir totally damaged

BREACHED: A huge breach caused to the flood bank by the swirling waters of the Vamsadhara, near Sirusuvada, in Kotturu mandal in Srikakulam on Monday.

HYDERABAD: Torrential rain during the past two days, caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, played havoc in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts as the Vamsadhara and Naagavali rivers overflowed their banks on Monday and flooded dozens of villages.

The heavy rain in the catchment area, located mostly in neighbouring Orissa, almost completely damaged the 100-year-old Thotapalli reservoir across the Naagavali which accounts for an ayacut of nearly 40,000 acres.

With more rain being forecast during the next 24 hours, the threat of the situation worsening looms large.

The four major rivers in the North Coastal Andhra--Naagavali, Vamsadhara, Janjhavathi and Mahendra Tanaya-- rose overnight following sudden inflows and flowed menacingly above the warning level at several places.

Deploying helicopters and nearly 20 power boats, the officials, who were caught unawares by the flash floods, launched a massive operation to evacuate people from 89 villages in the two districts. Reports received here said flood waters of Naagavali inundated 83 villages in Srikakulam and three in Vizianagaram, partially or fully. One person was drowned in the Nagavali while five others, all fishermen, missing.

Vehicular traffic came to a standstill to Vangara, Veerghattam, Regidi, Amadalavalasa, Palakonda, Santakavaiti, Komarada, Lakshmipuram and Boorja, all mandal headquarters. Some habitations were reportedly marooned.

Vast stretches of crops lay under a sheet of water while power and communication lines were snapped by the strong gales. South-bound trains from Orissa were stopped at different places.

Thotapalli Barrage, which can hold 1.13 lakh cusecs, received nearly 1.52 lakh cusecs. The century-old barrage developed cracks even as panic-stricken officials widened the breach to deplete water in the reservoir. Already four of the total six vents of the project have been washed away. The 400-metre-long left bank was completely damaged while four shutters collapsed.

The downpour was such that Komarada and Parvatipuram recorded a rainfall of 19 cm each, Veeraghattam 15 cm, Palakonda 14 cm, Palasa 13 cm, Mandasa, Tekkali 11 cm, Sompeta 12 cm, Bobbili, Ichapuram 9 cm and Kalingapatma 7 cm.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy instructed officials to maintain a state of high alert in Srikakulam, Vizianagaam, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari districts for two more days in view of a forecast of further heavy rain.

Meanwhile, the depression crossed the Orissa coast near Paradeep and lay centred near Cuttack.

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