VIJAYWADA – Heavy rain wreaked havoc in Vijayawada and Guntur towns of Andhra Pradesh with several residential areas remaining flooded on Sunday and throwing normal life out of gear.
Rain has been lashing several parts of the state under the impact of depression in the Bay of Bengal, which crossed the coast at Kalingapatnam in the early hours of Sunday
Ten people have been killed in various rain-related incidents since Saturday. Five people were killed and four injured in the landslide at Moghalrajpuram in Vijayawada.
Low-lying areas in Krishna and Guntur districts were inundated due to heavy rain and overflowing tanks and lakes.
Though rain receded on Sunday, several residential colonies remained submerged. Residents said they spent sleepless nights. They lost all their belongings and many complained that they were without food and water as no help came from authorities.
Several roads in Vijayawada, Amaravati, Mangalagiri, Guntur, Eluru and other places remained underwater, paralysing vehicular traffic and normal life.
Vijayawada received the highest rainfall in two decades. Three to four feet of water on roads brought the city to a complete halt.
According to the Andhra Pradesh State Development Planning Society, Mangalagiri in the Guntur district received 278.5 mm of rainfall on Saturday.
Minister for Municipal Administration P. Narayana, Vijayawada MP Kesneni Chinni and local MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao on Sunday visited Moghalrajpuram where rescue work was continuing.
Narayana said the government has paid Rs 5 lakh compensation each to the families of the deceased.
Meanwhile, depression in the Bay of Bengal crossed Kalingapatnam in the early hours of Sunday.
It lay centred at 90 km from Visakhapatnam and 120 km from Kalingapatnam and Malkangiri. The depression is likely to weaken into a low-pressure area
The Meteorological (MeT) Office has forecast moderate to heavy rain at isolated places in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitharamaraju, Kakinada and Nandyal districts.
Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Bapatla, Palnadu, and Kurnool districts are also likely to receive moderate to heavy rain.
The MeT officials have forecast light to moderate rain at a few places in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, East Godavari and West Godavari districts. -IANS
