Agency villages face flood fury

- 80 villages cut off from outer world
- Many rivulets in spate as heavy rains hit WG

Eluru: Normal life came to a standstill in agency mandals of West Godavari district with the heavy rains under the influence of depression in the Bay of Bengal. About 80 villages in Velairpadu, Buttayagudem, Polavaram agency mandals have cut off from the outer world, as the rivulets are in spate. The officials rescued two shepherds from Gunderu Vagu rivulet flood in Kukunuru mandal on Wednesday morning.

According to information received by headquarters, the Kukunuru and Velairpadu mandals are now facing a flood fury. Kammarigudem village in Velairpadu mandal has marooned in Pedavagu floodwater, as the project gates lifted following heavy inflow.

The ITDA officials shifted the villagers to safe places from the village. Flood water has entered in Patapuchirala village in Velairpdu mandal. The officials evacuated the villagers to safer places. About 56 villages were cut off from other areas due to floods. Power went off in 36 villages in Kukunuru and Velairpadu mandals due to heavy rains. Kukunuru recorded the highest rainfall of 224 millimetres since morning. Velairpadu has recorded 75 mm rainfall during last 24 hours, according to officials. Roads in Velairpadu mandal have badly damaged with the rains.

Meanwhile, the Yerrakalva, Jalleru rivulets are in spate with the heavy rains in the upstream areas of Khammam district. The Errakalva is reaching to a dangerous position at Taduvai village in Jeelugumilli mandal. About 26 villages in Buttayagudem and Polavaram mandals also cut off from the other areas. In Kovvuru mandal, Sitampeta and Maddurulanka island villages of River Godavari marooned in the river water. The Godavari water level slowly raising since morning, with the heavy rainfall in upstream of Khammam and Polavaram areas. Works of Polavaram project have been stopped, following the heavy rains and river water. Meanwhile, during last 24 hours 20.1 mm average rainfall recorded in the district, according to Chief Planning officer K Satyanarayana. He said that highest rainfall was recorded in Kukunuru followed by Velairpadu. Jeelugumilli recorded 57.4 mm, Koyyalagudem 45, Polavara m 41, Jangareddigudem 31.4, Tallapudi 30 mm.

District Collector K Bhaskar has reviewed the flood situation in the merged mandals of Kukunuru, Velairpadu and the other three agency mandals of Jeelugumilli, Buttayagudem, and Polavaram. He directed the officials to evacuate the people living in low-lying areas to safer places.

Rains inundate low-lying areas in Kakinada
Kakinada: Though the two day continuous rains brought down the day time temperatures considerably, the stagnation of water in several areas in Kakinada and suburb areas creating lot of invconvinece to pedestrians and even to two wheeler riders. The stagnation of rain water was noticed in several areas indcludung Baljicheruvu Centre, Suryanarayanapuram area, Wharf Road, Ragampeta, Anamma Ghati Area, Sambamurty Nagar Dairy farm centre, Jagannaickpur over bridge areas. Inundation of rain water was also noticed on district Collectorate premises in the form of water pond near Andhra Bank, NIC and Vikasa and SPTI offices making it difficult for staff and visitors to move. Former municipal corporator Dusarlapudi Ramona Raja blamed the municipal sanitation department for the water stagnations in several areas.

The sanitation department instead of taking up main drains desilting during summer starts the same in rainy season. Because of this laxity, the desilted soil and waste were going back to drains serving no purpose. The water stagnation was noticed at several places despite the smart city status tag to Kakinada city.