LOOKING FORWARD: A family wading through knee-deep water near Ventrapragada in Krishna district on Saturday. — PHOTO: CH. VIJAYA BHASKAR

VIJAYAWADA: The continuous downpour finally stopped on Saturday after battering Krishna district for six days, providing the much-needed relief to people.

Those residing in low-lying mandals like Pedana, Guduru, Machilipatnam, Ghantasala, Challapalli and Mopidevi were still in the grip of fear, as rainwater from upland areas was flowing in their areas.

Officials managed to enter all affected villages and begin relief and rehabilitation works. Over 43,000 families (some 1.35 lakh population) were being rehabilitated in 300 camps across the district.

Transport was yet to be restored on arterial roads such as Machilipatnam-Challapalli and Gudivada-Hanuman Junction.

Budameru overflowing

With Budameru continuing to overflow, a stretch of 8 km on Gudivada-Hanuman Junction road was inundated. The road between Ayyanki and Ghantasala was also under water. Rainwater entered many houses at Mangalapuram village in Challapalli mandal. District Collector Navin Mittal said that 20 kg of rice and 5 litres of kerosene would be distributed to each family in all affected mandals. Those who were rehabilitated in relief camps would also get rice and kerosene, he added.

The overflowing water from Lajjabanda drain began to recede, providing respite to residents of Devarapalli hamlet in Pedana mandal.

Officials of the Revenue Department swung into action and opened two relief camps at the primary school and church in Pullampadu village, adjacent to the hamlet. Over 400 people, who remained in the hamlet, were shifted to the two relief camps where food, drinking water and medical help were provided.

High tides

Speaking to The Hindu over telephone, Pullampadu sarpanch Jogi Subrahmanyam said that water was flowing at a height of 4 feet in Devarapalli and at two and half feet in Pullampadu.

He, however, said that villagers had fears about high tides in the sea, which would continue till full moon day (Sunday). "If the tides continue to rise, water from the drain cannot flow into the sea," he said.

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