Heavy rains lash Tirupati

Tirupati: Heavy rain lashed the temple city Tirupati on Thursday night and continued till early hours of Friday leading to submergence of many houses located in low-lying areas of the city. Several huts were collapsed due to thunderstorm and many families were displaced. The roads were inundated with knee deep water in the city on Friday morning.

Tirumala hill shrine also witnessed heavy rains on Thursday night causing severe hardships to the pilgrims. Swarna Mukhi River is in spate at Thondavada near Tirupati and the river is brimming at several places including Srikalahasti. Chittoor district Collector Siddharth Jain visited the NTR Reservoir near Chittoor and inspected the flood inflow.

He asked the officials to take precautionary measures and if necessary evacuate the people who are residing in low-lying areas. Keeping in view the last October experience, where  incessant rains continuously for one week which caused havoc in several parts of the district, the administration is initiating necessary steps to avoid any human loss. Last year during October and November, the heavy rains which lashed the district led to over flowing of flood water in the canals and culverts which led to human loss.