Two killed, villages cut off as heavy rain lashes Andhra Pradesh

Heavy rains battered coastal districts leaving two dead and several interior villages cut off and inundating residential colonies in various parts of the State on Wednesday.
Bridge near Convent Junction in Visakhapatnam inundated after heavy rain on Wednesday | G Satyanarayana
Bridge near Convent Junction in Visakhapatnam inundated after heavy rain on Wednesday | G Satyanarayana

VIJAYAWADA: Heavy rains battered coastal districts leaving two dead and several interior villages cut off and inundating residential colonies in various parts of the State on Wednesday.

Two persons died in West Godavari district and the brick structure of the 2,000-year-old Maha Stupa at Thotlakonda in Visakhapatnam collapsed in the heavy rains. The Maha Stupa, situated in the middle of the heritage site, is a major tourist attraction, where the visitors climb the basement to take snaps.

Meanwhile, the localities downstream of Prakasam Barrage were put on alert as more than one lakh cusecs of water was flowing into the barrage and it was expected that the flow would increase by night. With water being released from Pulichintala, Prakasam Barrage was receiving 1.5 lakh cusecs of water while 1.25 lakh cusecs was being discharged downstream by lifting 70 gates. With more inflows likely by night, the district administration was put on alert and Krishna District Collector A Md Imtiyaz monitored the situation.

He visited Prakasam Barrage on Wednesday evening and monitored the flood situation. The people of low-lying areas were evacuated  to rescue shelters. He further said the flood situation in the district was increasing and all the required measures were taken.

In Touringpet of Unguturu mandal of West Godavari district, two persons were killed after a rain-soaked house collapsed on them. According to police, 67-year-old P Raghavamma was living in the house and with the continuous rains for the past two days, the mud roof of the house started leaking. She asked one of her neighbours S Srinu to cover a plastic sheet on the roof. When he was covering the sheet, the house collapsed on the duo leading to their instantaneous death.

Similarly, in East Godavari, an average rainfall of 67.2 mm was recorded resulting in inundation of low-lying areas. Several parts of Kakinada town got inundated with rainwater.

In Visakhapatnam district, rainwater entered several houses in low-lying areas while a portion of a building near Victoria Government Hospital collapsed. The district administration declared holiday for schools in view of the rains. Visakhapatnam district recorded 63.8 mm rainfall, while Srikakulam and Vizianagaram recorded 36.3 mm and 24.1 mm respectively.

Toll free numbers

The district officials have set up toll free numbers. If anyone faces any problem, they can call these numbers, according to East Godavari District Collector D Muralidhar Reddy

  • Collectorate in Kakinada: 18004253077
  • Sub-collector office Rajamahendravaram: 0883 - 2442344
  • Sub-collector office Yetapaka: 08748 - 285279
  • ITDA PO Rampachodavaram: 18004252123
  • Amalapuram RDO office: 08856 - 233100
  • Kakinada RDO office: 0884 - 2368100
  • Ramachandrapuram RDO office: 08857 - 245166
  • Control room in Srikakulam: 08922-236947

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