Rains cripple 42 mandals in Chittoor

Tirupati: The downpour due to low-pressure in South East Bay of Bengal hit 42 mandals in Chittoor district where crops and roads were damaged leading to cut off from outside world.

According to official information, more than 10 cms rainfall was registered in 15 mandals in the last 24 hours and at KVB Puram mandal, highest rainfall of 17.8 cms registered.

Most mandals located in eastern part of Chittoor district bore the brunt of downpour due to the influence of cyclone. Roads were damaged particularly in Nagari, Sathyavedu and Srikalahasti constituencies where many villages were cut off from the outside world with the streams and rivers are flowing above the danger mark on the causeways and damaged the roads leading to snapping of communication from villages to other places and also bringing the traffic to halt.

Rains are remaining unabated even though after giving respite from morning to afternoon again intermediate rain experienced at most places in the district.

Two National and one State Disaster Response Force teams are deployed in the district and Collector M Hari Narayanan alerted the people to be cautious during rains.

Speaking to The Hans India, District Revenue Officer(DRO) M S Murali said according to preliminary estimates till Friday afternoon, standing crops in 17,000 acres were damaged while 13 irrigation tanks were damaged where restoration works are underway. Giving details about crop damage, he said paddy in 1, 500 acres, groundnut in 5.65 acres, sugarcane in 3.425 acres, horticulture crops including vegetables in 126 acres were damaged due to rains apart from 85 houses were damaged partially and 12 houses were completely damaged.

He also said due to heavy rains on Wednesday and Thursday, 1,315 persons evacuated from low lying areas were shifted to 26 relief camps set up in the district. Most of the evacuees were accommodated in nearby social welfare hostels and schools.

Officially no death was registered so far but one woman Sarala from Venkatapuram in Ramachandrapuram mandal, was washed away in Nakkaleru Vagu floodwaters while the another woman was saved by the villagers. Search operation for missing woman continuing.

Another person Chokkalingam,45, belonged to Abbambattu village in Pichatur mandal, was slipped down accidentally in Araniyar Reservoir and disappeared. Police and Fire personnel were pressed into search operation.

The gates of Kalyanidam and Mallemadugu in Tirupati were lifted by Friday evening and people residing in down reaches were alerted. In SR Puram mandal, Krishnapuram dam gates were opened and Aruna River flowing with fiery force and it is playing havoc in Nagari mandal. Nagari MLA R K Roja has been going around the rain-hit areas and provided financial aid to the families whose houses were damaged.

In Tirumala, Kumara Dhara Pasupu Dhara project including Gogarbam, Papavinasanam, Akasa Ganga gates were opened as water reached above the danger mark.

The Railway Department has not suspended any trains to Chennai via Pudi, Puttur, Tiruttani route where water is flowing on railway tracks at many places and the trains were going through the inundated tracks with all precautions. Trains bounded to Gudur–Chennai route were diverted via Renigunta. At many places, police were posted to warn the people not to cross the causeways.

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A house collapsed due to rain at Nagari constituency on Friday.

Police posted at places where floodwater is flowing above the danger mark in Chittoor