Andhra Pradesh   

Coastal Andhra Pradesh reeling under floods

Special Correspondent

Torrential rain claims two lives; Vamsadhara, Nagavali in spate

HYDERABAD: Vast areas in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts were inundated by floods in the Vamsadhara and Nagavali and torrential rain in north coastal Andhra on Thursday in the wake of the deep depression that crossed the Orissa coast on Thursday.

Flights from Visakhapatnam were cancelled for the day as the airport came under a sheet of water. Srikakulam district received nearly 18 cm of rain on Thursday, which is almost equal to the normal rainfall for the entire month of August.

Two persons were killed and six others injured in two incidents of wall collapse in Srikakulam as the Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers rose menacingly due to huge inflows from Orissa. Nearly 300 villages in 19 mandals were inundated, partially or fully, as one lakh cusecs of water flowed in each of these rivers. Normal life in Srikakulam town was thrown out of gear as water entered several low-lying areas.

Vattigadda stream breached the road at Palakonda, cutting off several other villages. An Express train was stranded at Rayagada as mud and boulders fell on the track following landslips. Rallagadda and Varahalagadda villages in Vizianagaram district were flooded by the Nagavali. Vizianagaram town recorded 20 cm of rain.

YSR reviews situation

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who reviewed the situation, asked officials to evacuate families from vulnerable areas, open relief camps and pump out water from Visakhapatnam airport. He is holding a high-level meeting on Friday to assess the damage and speed up relief measures. Disaster management Commissioner Debabratha Kanta said nearly 6,000 people were sheltered in 20 relief camps in the three districts.

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