Heavy rains in Rayalaseema, massive damage to standing crops
Many villages as also urban areas were inundated and road connectivity was snapped at several places
ANANTAPUR: Heavy rains bashed the Rayalaseema region for the first time in decades this Wednesday. The southwest monsoon resulted in a heavy downpour, causing damage to standing crops and inundation of residential areas.
The Pennar river basin-dependent rivers Chitravathi, Kushavathi, Jayamangali, Pennar Kumudvathi and Hagari were flowing above dangerous levels in Anantapur, Satya Sai, and YSR districts. In the Krishna basin, the Tungabhadra and tributaries were flowing at elevated levels.
Many villages as also urban areas were inundated and road connectivity was snapped at several places.
Orchards over thousands of acres, paddy and other crops were submerged in the rainwater and floods in the region. Amrapuram mandal received the maximum rainfall of 225.2mm, while Penukona recorded 186.2mm, followed by 185mm in Kambadur, 175.8mm in Kundurpi and 168.6mm in Madakasira municipality in the last three days.
Devanakonda in Kurnool district received 121.2mm of rainfall on Monday alone.
Many big tanks and canals were already filled. The heavy rainfall in adjacent Karnataka was adding to the inflows. Hindupur area, closer to the Pennar riverbed with its subsidiary rivers from the Nandi hills of Karnataka, was witnessing heavy floods. The Chitravathi was flowing above danger level due to heavy discharge from Paragodu reservoir.
The big check dam across Chitravathi river was overflowing at Puttaparthi and Pothulanagepalli. Satya Sai district SP Rahul Dev Singh sounded an alert for the district. Police restricted movement of vehicles in the Chitravathi riverbed areas.
The Pennar Kumudvathi, a medium irrigation project in Parigi mandal, was overflowing and water was released towards Parigi big tank. The big tanks of Gudibanda and Chandakacherla were overflowing after three decades.
Heavy rains inundated colonies in Madakasira town due to the overflowing of tanks and canals. Many shops and houses were submerged. The villages and standing crops at the foreshore of Madakasira tank were inundated.
Many colonies in Adoni, Kurnool district, have been inundated for the past two days due to heavy rain. Several offices and schools were also submerged in Kurnool district. Papagni was flowing at elevated level in YSR district and road connectivity was cut off in the area. Revenue and agriculture teams were assessing the crop damage in all six districts.