The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Heavy rain lashes Chittoor, Nellore, Kadapa

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Friday, Dec 21, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Heavy rain lashes Chittoor, Nellore, Kadapa

Special Correspondent

Several rivers and streams swell at many places

Tirumala pilgrims brave cold to have darshan of Lord on ‘Vaikunta Ekadasi’
Three crest-gates of Somasila opened; flood in Kyvalya paralyses traffic

— Photo: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar

Nature’s fury: People having a look at the gaping hole that was formed after a bridge caved in at Anjaneyapuram on the Tirupati-Kadapa highway on Thursday due to incessant rain.

HYDERABAD: A fresh spell of heavy rain that ravaged parts of Tamil Nadu has caused heavy floods in Chittoor, Nellore and Kadapa districts, affecting normal life.

The sudden rain on Thursday was caused by a trough of low pressure hovering over the Bay of Bengal off Tamil Nadu coast which has turned the North-East monsoon vigorous not only over Tamil Nadu but also in South Andhra.

Rain recorded

Satyavedu received an unprecedented 17 cm rainfall, the pilgrim town of Tirupati received 14 cm, Chittoor, Pakala 13 cm each, Kalakada 11 cm, Kuppam, Puttur 10 cm each, Arogyavaram, Tada, Venkatagiri town, Venkatagiri Kota 9 cm each, Palamaneru, Punganur 8 cm each and Srikalahasti and Thamballapalli 7 cm each.

Following flash floods, the water level touched banks in the Swarnamukhi river, dry till the other day. The Pennar rose menacingly both in Kadapa and Nellore districts, forcing authorities to open three crest-gates of Somasila project to let out 30,000 cusecs of water into the sea. Similarly, Kyvalya river swelled up, paralysing traffic at Saidapuram. Road links between Kadapa and Chittoor districts were disrupted.

Breach plugged

As a positive outcome, Kalyani dam, the principal source of drinking water for Tirupati, as also Gogarbham and Papavinasam on Tirumala Hills, attained full reservoir levels.

Pilgrims in Tirumala braved non-stop rain and cold to have darshan of Lord Venkateswara on ‘Vaikunta Ekadasi’. Preeti Sudan, Disaster Management Commissioner, told The Hindu that the Madhavamala tank in Yerpedu mandal of Chittoor district developed a breach but it was plugged before the water could surge out in full force. With floodwater flowing over at least 10 roads, the Roads & Buildings Department undertook construction of Bailey bridge across a causeway to facilitate vehicular traffic.

She said the revenue officials have been asked to continue the vigil in view of the forecast issued by Meteorological Department, warning the Rayalaseema region and Nellore and Prakasam districts in particular against further heavy rainfall on Friday.

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