Rains Batter Prakasam, Floodwaters Submerge NH

 Kurnool: Heavy rains caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal are impacting Prakasam district, with streams and tanks overflowing. At Chadalawada in Naguluppalapadu mandal, the embankment of Ramanna Cheruvu broke, leading to flooding on National Highway 216, particularly between Ongole and Digamarru. Approximately half a kilometre of the highway is submerged under three feet of floodwater, disrupting traffic and forcing diversions.

In the district, rainfall amounts include Tangutur with 9.5 cm, Kondapi 9.3 cm, Singarayakonda 7.3 cm, Zarugumilli and H.M. Padu 6.1 cm each, Ponnaluru 6 cm, and an average of 3.3 cm across the district. Huge waves at Kothapatnam beach have triggered high alerts in coastal zones, and the NDRF has arrived to assist in relocating residents from low-lying areas to rehabilitation centres.

On Wednesday, the district collector inspected the flooded Ongole-Chirala National Highway, coordinating with officials from the Irrigation and Panchayat Raj Departments to fill the breached tank embankments with sandbags to protect the road from further damage. Eighteen police teams are on standby throughout the district to manage the cyclone’s impact.

In Ongole city, the district collector, accompanied by city mayor Gangada Sujatha, visited Mother Teresa Colony and inspected the situation at Nallavagu. The focus has been on preventing rainwater accumulation in critical areas like Keshavarajagunta, Balaram Colony, and Nehru Nagar. Thirty-five rehabilitation centres have been identified, with five currently operational in Ongole, Tanguturu, Kothapatnam, and Singarayakonda mandals, sheltering around 200 people.

In neighbouring districts, Nandyal has been experiencing moderate rain since Tuesday, with Chagalamarri receiving 4.9 cm and Sirivel 4 cm. Kurnool district is also seeing light drizzles.