VISAKHAPATNAM: Three people died and two were injured in rain-related incidents in Visakhapatnam and Kadapa districts as heavy to very heavy rains, under the influence of a depression in the Bay of Bengal, battered the north coastal and the twin Godavari districts on Monday.
Due to the downpour, a boulder from a hillock fell on a house with asbestos roof in Gajuwaka’s Ganapathi Nagar in the early hours, resulting in the immediate death of a pregnant woman, Ramalakshmi, and her two-year-old son Ganeswar as the roof and a wall of the house collapsed. On being alerted, police rushed to the spot and rescued the woman’s husband, Lokanadaham, and relative Parvati. The two were admitted to a hospital as they suffered injuries.
A woman, identified as 45-year-old Macha Rajeswari of Jandrapalle in Lakkireddy Palli mandal, Kadapa district, was washed away in Kondavandlapalli and her body was found in Vodu Cheruvu tank in Vempamanu village. Two shops in the municipal complex at Peddapuram town of East Godavari collapsed in the evening following heavy rains.
However, a major accident was averted and no loss of life was reported from there. Heavy to very heavy rains under the impact of the depression threw normal life out of gear in Visakhapatnam and East Godavari district, which bore the brunt of the storm brewing in the bay. Several low lying areas in both the districts were inundated in the rainwater.
Visakhapatnam district recorded its highest rainfall in the last six years; Bheemili alone reported a rainfall of 20 cm. Civic staff swung into action and cleared three mini-truck loads of plastic material from drains at Old Gajuwaka Junction to drain out water from the low lying areas. Motorists found it difficult to wade through as rainwater inundated roads and residential complexes. In Sheelanagar, roads were submerged under four feet of water.
The civic staff pumped out water from submerged areas with the help of motors.
Revenue divisional officer P Kishore told TNIE that around 1,000 people were shifted to rehabilitation centres in Gajuwaka. A total of five houses were damaged in the rains, three of which were in Gajuwaka and two in Peda Gantyada.
He said two rehabilitation centres were opened and more would be set up if necessary. The revenue and municipal administration are reviewing the situation in vulnerable areas, and that there is no need to relocate people from hillslope areas as of now, Kishore added.
Reservoirs in Raiwada, Tandava, Konam, Pedderu and Mehadrigedda were filled to the brim and water was released into canals due to the increased inflows, sources said. East Godavari district recorded rainfall of 5006.8 mm and Kakinada city received the most of it (18.2 cm). Several low-lying areas in agency and delta regions were inundated.
District collector D Muralidhar Reddy, who has directed the officials to evacuate people from low-lying areas in case of inundation, said NDRF and SDRF personnel have been deployed to deal with any emergency.
As a precautionary measure, the Kakinada - Uppada Beach Road has been closed. On the direction of the district collector, 70 fishermen families from Hope Island were relocated to Pagadalapeta High School in Turangi village. Meanwhile, a fishing boat capsized in the sea at Bhairavapalem in I Polavaram mandal of East Godavari district due to high tides. However, all fishermen were rescued by other fishing boats.
IMD: Expect more rains today as depression intensifies
Vijayawada: While very heavy rainfall lashed parts of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts under the influence of a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal, heavy rains were reported in Srikakulam, Prakasam and parts of Chittoor and Kurnool. Till Monday evening, the highest rainfall of 17 cm was reported from Bheemunipatnam, followed by 12 cm in Srikakulam town.
According to an IMD update, the depression over west-central Bay of Bengal has intensified into a deep depression and lays 220 km south-southeast of Viskahpatnam as on 8:15 p.m. It is expected to cross the coast near Kakinada by Tuesday morning. Under its influence, squally weather with wind speed reaching up to 55-65 kmph is likely along and off Andhra Pradesh coast
Police on alert
In view of the heavy rains expected in the next three days, DGP Gautam Sawang has directed police personnel to be on alert round-the-clock, and coordinate with NDRF and SDRF personnel in evacuating people from low-lying areas, subjected to their inundation.