Flood fury still haunts Nellore, Atmakur divisions

Nellore: Residents of Nellore city, particularly a few villages in Atmakur and Nellore revenue divisions along the river Penna are facing total hardships as the floodwater is yet to recede.

A student Rajaram hailing from Kisan Nagar in Nellore city, studying third year Mechanical Engineering in Government Polytechnic College located at Venkateswarapuram on the banks of Penna River, had visited the college on Saturday morning and got stuck up in floodwater in the premises.

The Polytechnic College which was very close to the river was inundated with floodwater and the ground floor of the building was completely filled with water.

Two students including Rajaram were trapped in floodwater in the premises and another student successfully escaped from the place. Rajaram was stuck in the floodwater and died in the morning itself. Dead body of the student was recovered on Sunday. More than 30 villages across the river Penna including Vengamanaidupalli, Bandarupalli, Toorpu Kambhampadu, Jammipalem, Kovur, Chalapunaidupalli, Veerlagudipadu, Kolagatla, Minagallu, Damaramadugu, Padugupadu, Pothireddypalem and other villages are still in floodwater. There was no power supply for these villages for more than 30 hours. People in Nellore city outskirts, close to the river, have been facing troubles to get essentials as the roads are still overflowing.

Rescue operations in flood-hit areas are being carried out and the district administration has been taking steps for providing all possible assistance to the victims. Though the flood is slowly receding, the district administration has decided to keep open rehabilitation centres for the next 48 hours. Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu informed that measures have been taken for prevention of infectious diseases in all flood-affected areas. Kandaleru, Kaivalya and Pampaleru rivulets are still at dangerous level in Gudur revenue division.