Date:07/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/07/stories/2007100759810700.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Torrential rain in north coastal Andhra

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: East and West Godavari, Khammam and Srikakulam districts are back in floods along with Visakhapatnam and the adjoining areas for the second day, on Saturday, under the influence of a “trough of low pressure” in the Bay.

The flood toll rose to seven, with East and West Godavari reporting one casualty each, adding to Visakhapatnam’s five.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who reviewed the situation here, directed officials to ensure quick relief to the affected. He cancelled his trip to Srikakulam scheduled for Sunday.

The downpour, coupled with a heavy discharge from the Meghadrigadda reservoir, inundated a part of the Visakhapatnam Airport forcing cancellation of flights for the day. Visakhapatnam recorded 50 mm rain on Saturday. Water in the airport was drained out with heavy duty pumpsets so as to resume flights at least on Sunday. Water-logging threw normal life out of gear in over 15 localities. In West Godavari, a wall-collapse claimed one person’s life at Dudduluru. Kovavada Vagu and Yerrakalva swelled overnight, developed breaches and flooded three villages and vast stretches of crops. Ooracheruvu, a stream, inundated the Kolkata-Vijayawada highway at some points, holding up traffic.

Road link cut

Nearly 2,000 families were shifted to relief camps from Nagulapalli and Mukkaluru in East Godavari district, following floods as a result of discharge of 42,000 cusecs from the Yeleru Canal project and heavy rain. In Khammam district, the Sabari rose menacingly, cutting the road link between Coonavaram and Vara Ramachandrapuram, Chintoor, Wajed and beyond. Chirumaru Vagu stream flowed over the road near Bhadrachalam, cutting off the State from Chhattisgarh. The Godavari, now flowing at 23.7 ft at Bhadrachalam, is rising, threatening to worsen the situation. Meanwhile, villagers boycotted enumeration at Chintalamudi, in Karimnagar district, to protest officials’ ‘indifference’ to their plight because of recent floods.