Flood situation grim in Andhra, 35 dead

By IANS

Hyderabad : The flood situation in parts of Andhra Pradesh remained grim Saturday as the death toll mounted to 35.


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Rains continued to lash coastal Andhra and Rayalseema region as dozens of towns and villages remained inundated. About 40 people who were trapped in vehicles in swirling waters were waiting to be rescued.

Three helicopters have left from Hyderabad to Kurnool and Guntur to rescue people perched on rooftops or vehicles.

The government has asked the army to remain on stand by as district authorities began evacuating hundreds from low-lying areas abutting Krishna and Godavari rivers.

The officials said the death toll in heavy rains and flash floods had climbed to 35. The worst hit Kurnool district accounted for 21 deaths. Deaths have also been reported from Guntur, Krishna, Prakasam and East Godavari districts.

The heavy rains and flash floods, triggered by low-pressure area that crossed the Andhra coast near Kakinada early Friday, caused havoc in the south coastal region and parts of Rayalseema.

Several villages in Mahabubnagar district in Telangana region were also inundated as the river Tungabhadra breached its banks.

The incessant rains since Thursday and flash floods damaged paddy nurseries in the fertile coastal region while strong gales uprooted trees and electricity and communication poles. Power supply to many towns and villages were snapped.

Hundreds of trucks and buses were stranded on water logged highways. The Chennai-Kolkatta highway was cut off after streams overflowed on to the road at several places.

Train services also came to standstill in Kurnool and Guntur districts as rail tracks were submerged at few points.

Several parts of Macherla town in Guntur district, Kurnool and Nandyal towns in Kurnool district and Ongole town in Prakasam district and dozens of villages were water logged as rivulets, streams, irrigation channels and tanks were overflowing.

Authorities have opened 54 relief camps in the affected districts and arranged more than 100,000 food packets to be air dropped later in the day.

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