AP CM, Venkaiah Naidu visit flood-hit Nellore district

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday visited the areas affected by heavy rains and floods in Nellore district as relief efforts have been intensified in the rain-hit districts of the state.

The Chief Minister, who undertook a whirlwind tour of the flood-hit villages in Nellore district, said the government would use modern technology to minimise the devastation caused by cyclones and drought which hit the state almost every year.

Several areas in Nellore district continued to be flooded today though the rains have let up. Heavy rains, triggered by North East Monsoon, have battered several districts of Andhra Pradesh, mainly Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa and Anantapur.

Naidu has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh seeking assistance. He has sought Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre as advance funds for immediate relief and rehabilitation.

Noting that a loss of Rs 3,000 crore has occurred as per preliminary estimates, he said the final report would be sent after enumeration.

The CM said in Nellore today that the district, neighbouring Tamil Nadu, received 85 cm rainfall in five days, unprecedented in about 50-60 years, and promised to supervise the relief work personally.

Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, who hails from Nellore district, carried out an aerial survey of rain-hit areas. Noting that the state government had funds meant for disaster relief, he said the Centre would release additional funds after a central team visited the affected places.