Cyclone Remal brings rains to AP, disrupts life

In Vijayawada, light to moderate rains began from the early hours and continued till evening, submerging roads and low-lying areas in knee-deep water and disrupting normal life.

However, heavy downpour battered arterial and sub-arterial roads in and around Pinnamaneni Polyclinic Road, MG and Eluru Roads, Auto Nagar, I Town, including key traffic junctions like Benz Circle and NTR Circle, causing inundation in low-lying areas and disrupting vehicular traffic throughout the day.

Commuters using city buses experienced severe inconvenience with water logging at several bus stops on the MG and Eluru roads.

According to IMD, Amaravati, Vijayawada and Gannavaram recorded 4.5 cm of rain.

NTR district recorded total 268.4 mm rainfall across 20 mandals on Saturday. While the district recorded an average rainfall of 13.42 mm, Vijayawada Central and Vijayawada West mandals receiving the highest rainfall of 34.6 mm between 8:30 am and 7 pm on Saturday.

Vijayawada North, East and Rural mandals received 34.2 mm, 34 mm and 32.8 mm rainfall.

Rains brought down the mercury levels providing the much-needed respite from the summer heat. Gannavaram registered 31 degrees Celsius with a negative departure of 12 degrees Celsius.

In Anantapur, heavy rains on Friday night resulted in massive damage to standing crops in Uravakonda, Madakasira and Kalyandurg areas. The heavy downpour filled channels and small tanks overflowed. Traffic was disrupted between Palthur and Govindawada, Penchikalapadu on the main road of Bellary-Anantapur.

Power supply got disrupted in many parts of the Vidapanakal mandal after a number of big electric poles got uprooted. At least 19 villages in the mandal had no power till Saturday afternoon.

Jammanipalli irrigation tank in Madakasira mandal witnessed overflow. Hundreds of acres of agriculture fields overflowed with rain water and badly damaged the crops.

The sea along the Uppada-Kakinada coast remained rough. Kakinada registered 31.1 mm rainfall and Tuni 30.7 mm.

IMD director S. Stella told Deccan Chronicle that except for Gannavaram and Vijayawada, other places received moderate to light rains during the day.

“Tomorrow (Sunday), the state will receive light rain. After that, the temperature will increase slowly till the monsoon sets over Andhra Pradesh,” Stella stated.