Date:20/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/20/stories/2007092055030600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

A.P. flood toll rises to 43

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Weathermen have forecast that there will be downpour in several parts of the State for two more days as the low pressure area that has been hovering close to the coast for four days will remain there for some more time.

Heavy rain in the wake of low pressure area have so far claimed the lives of 43 persons in five districts. Nineteen people were struck dead by thunderbolts while the remaining were killed in house collapses and drowning. Guntur district accounted for the maximum of ten deaths followed by Kurnool (7), Anantapur (4), Warangal (2) and Mahabubnagar (1).

Rayalaseema faced the brunt of the flood fury as the Tungabhadra, Pennar, Hundri and Kundu were in spate simultaneously, inundating vast swathes of crops and habitations in Kurnool, Kadapa and Nellore districts. For the first time in several years, Chitravathi river swelled in Anantapur district while Paragodu reservoir overflowed to villages in the district.

Inflow into Sunkesula Barrage touched an all-time high of 4.5 lakh cusecs, forcing the authorities to open all its shutters to save the barrage and nearby villages.

At the same time, the crest-gates of Thungabhada dam at Hospet in Karnataka were closed to prevent further inflows into Sunkesula. Similarly, the gates of Somasila had to be lifted to release water from the swollen Pennar.

Island villages

The situation turned alarming in Guntur and Krishna districts where hundreds of island villages were submerged when the Krishna rose menacingly up to Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada where families living on its banks and the low lying areas were evacuated.

A huge inflow of over 5 lakh cusecs passed through the Barrage to join the sea.

Revenue Minister D. Prasada Rao, who reviewed the situation, told reporters that Kurnool, Anantapur, Karimnagar, Warangal, Guntur, Prakasam, Kadapa, Krishna and Mahaubnagar districts had been receiving very heavy rainfall since Monday.

Houses damaged

The resultant floods inundated crops over an area of 40,000 acres and damaged about 8,000 houses.

He announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh to the families of those killed. An amount of Rs 5.6 crore had been released to undertake relief operations.