Heavy rain forecast for many districts today

 Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) on Thursday issued a fresh weather alert as the deep depression over north Tamil Nadu and south interior Karnataka weakened into a low-pressure area. The system is expected to move further northwest toward south interior Karnataka over the next 24 hours, bringing widespread rainfall across Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, heavy rains lashed across many districts on Thursday following a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal. Roads and low-lying areas were inundated at many places. According to APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain, moderate rains are likely over south coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, while heavy rains are expected at isolated places in Prakasam, Nellore, Kurnool, Chittoor, and Tirupati districts.

Coastal areas may experience gusty winds up to 30–50 kmph. He urged the public to remain alert and avoid staying in weak or damaged buildings during the ongoing spell of rain.

The state government has directed all departments to stay vigilant as thunderstorms and lightning are forecast across several regions. Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha cautioned farmers not to stay in fields during lightning activity and appealed to the public to remain indoors and take safety precautions.

Officials have been asked to clear urban drainage systems to prevent water stagnation and to keep sandbags ready near irrigation bunds and canals. With another low-pressure system expected to form in the coming week, the entire disaster response machinery has been placed on alert.

On Thursday, heavy rains lashed the Krishna district. The district recorded 895.20 mm of rainfall, while the NTR district received 183.70 mm. On Wednesday, the Krishna district recorded 210.60 mm, showing a sharp rise in rainfall intensity. The district average stood at 34.40 mm.

In Nellore district, tanks, streams, and rivulets are overflowing following days of incessant rainfall. According to the Meteorological Department, an average of 57 mm rainfall was recorded across all 38 mandals on Thursday, with Lingasamudram registering the highest at 80 mm, and Thotapalli Gudur the lowest at 3.8 mm

Water in the Somasila reservoir has reached 70 TMC ft of storage against its 78 TMC ft full capacity, while Kandaleru dam recorded 70 TMC ft against its 64 TMC ft full reservoir level. To prevent flooding, authorities have begun releasing water from Somasila into the Pennar River, easing pressure on surrounding villages.

Several low-lying areas in Nellore and neighboring districts reported knee-deep water, and paddy and commercial crops suffered damage due to waterlogging in fields.

In Guntur, District Collector A Thameem Ansariya visited several rain-hit localities on Thursday. She inspected Three Bridges Junction, Brodipet 4th Line, and the Patthabhilpuram underpass (Kankaragunta Bridge) to assess waterlogging and drainage conditions. The Collector instructed municipal officials to ensure uninterrupted movement of residents and to strengthen the sewage and storm water systems. Later, she visited Budampadu Canal, Guntur Channel, and Nallaa to review water flow and preventive arrangements.

In Visakhapatnam, short spells of moderate rain were recorded on Thursday morning, with the city receiving less than half a centimeter of rainfall. While the rain provided some respite from humidity, it did not significantly impact normal life.

Authorities across Andhra Pradesh continue to maintain high alert as the rain-bearing system persists, with instructions issued to ensure public safety and rapid response in case of emergencies.