HYDERABAD: Torrential rain continued to lash parts of the State for the fifth day on Wednesday, turning the flood situation in Krishna, Prakasam, Guntur and West Godavari districts worse.

The downpour forced Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy to defer his plan for an aerial survey and go by train instead to Chirala on Wednesday night to inspect the damage in the three districts.

A slight let-up in rain is likely on Thursday.

Over 100 villages in the affected districts were still cut off, due to overflowing of several rivulets and streams and breaches in tanks and canals. People of these habitations had to go without food and drinking water, while other areas plunged into darkness following breakdown of power supply.

Not many residents in the villages moved to the relief camps despite alert sounded by the revenue officials, reports said.

Life paralysed

Life was completely paralysed at Machilipatnam, Gudiwada, Ongole and Repalli and other coastal towns where water flowed at least 5 feet high in many localities. Several areas in these towns turned into vast pools following heavy rain on Wednesday also.

Machilipatnam received 17 cm and Repalle 10 cm. Flash floods in Budameru and other drains played havoc in Krishna district, inundating many villages around Gudiwada. Water level in Kolleru lake rose, affecting the adjoining villages in West Godavari.

At Hyderabad, the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary J. Harinarayan, reviewed the situation separately, asking the Collectors to release 20 kg of rice along with kerosene to the affected families as immediate relief.

Aqua farms worst hit

The floods, for the fourth time this year, caused extensive damage to crops and properties.

Paddy in Gudiwada and Narsapur areas is reported to have suffered heavily, with vast stretches of fields being covered by a sheet of water. Aquaculture farms along the coast, from Srikakulam to Nellore, were destroyed.

The loss on this count is estimated over Rs. 50 crores.

The operations at Kakinada port came to a standstill with the access roads turning into cesspools.

Nearly 12 ships remained anchored in the sea waiting for unloading.

Canal breached

Flood water flowed into summer storage tank of Chirala, forcing officials to bring drinking water by tankers from Bapatla.

The fury of the Gundlakamma was such that its diversion canal breached, threatening Chinna Mallavaram.

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