Tirupati: One person got electrocuted to death in Nellore district, seven fishermen from Prakasam district are missing and 17 animals have got washed away in Tirupati district as Cyclone Mandous swept through south coastal Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.
With heavy rain forecast till Sunday afternoon, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan held a review meeting with officials to take stock of the situation. He directed officials concerned to take all measures for dealing with the situation arising out of the cyclonic storm.
In particular, the Chief Minister instructed collectors of Nellore, Tirupati, Chittoor and Annamaiah districts to remain vigilant and take appropriate action. He directed that rehabilitation centres be opened wherever required and all necessary support provided to people.
Director of State Disaster Management Agency Dr. B.R. Ambedkar disclosed that rainfall from Friday night to 8:30 a.m. on Saturday has been 23.3 mm in Annamaiah district, 30.5 mm in Chittoor district, 14.1 mm in Prakasam district, 57.6 mm in Nellore district, 75.7 mm in Tirupati district and 14.5 mm in YSR Kadapa district. During the last 24 hours, 109 areas in these six districts have received more than 64.5 mm rainfall.
KVB Puram mandal in Tirupati district recorded the highest rainfall of 258 mm. Causeway from KVB Puram towards Srikalahasti is overflowing with water, thereby disrupting traffic. Vehicular movement has also been thrown out of gear along Venkatagiri-Gudur state highway and the national highway near Balayapalli village.
In Nellore district, Darla Srinivasulu (33) of old Harijanawada at Inamadugu village in Kovur mandal got electrocuted when he came in contact with a live electric wire that snapped after a tree branch fell on an electric pole due to strong winds on Saturday morning. As widespread rains have continued for the second day, rivers and rivulets in many coastal mandals are in spate. Parts of Nellore city and Athmakuru town are under water.
In Tirupati district, 159 houses and 72.2-km long roads have been damaged due to heavy rains. 14 big and three small animals have been lost and 30 cattle sheds destroyed. 121 LT poles and 240 11 KV poles have been damaged in various areas. Total loss has been estimated at ₹2.12 crore (temporary) and ₹55.81 crore (permanent).
In Tirupati city, waterlogging has been reported at Auto Nagar, Lakshmipuram circle, Ramanuja circle, Leela mahal circle and Karakambadi road. Rainwater has entered houses in Jai Bhim colony. A decades-old tree collapsed on a four-wheeler, besides damaging an electricity transformer and electric wires at Kennedy Nagar on Friday night.
In Prakasam district, a search operation has been launched for seven fishermen of Woolapalem village. They had ventured into the sea six days ago but have not returned.
In Chittoor district, considerable damage has been reported to paddy fields and other crops in Nagari, Vijayapuram, S.R. Puram, Nindra, and Karvetinagaram mandals. Around 328 people from low-lying areas have been accommodated in rehabilitation centres set up in these mandals. Rivers Koundinya, Bahuda, and Gargeya in the district are in spate.
Kakinada, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, Eluru, East and West Godavari districts have experienced intermittent rain and heavy gales on Saturday. Heavy sea waves hit Uppada-Kothapalli beach road, damaging it to a certain extent near Nemam village.
Authorities have prohibited traffic movement between Kakinada and Uppada beach.
Somasila project in Nellore district has been receiving inflows of 27,135 cusecs from upstream. Officials are releasing 36,700 cusecs into River Penna through the crest gates, 2,500 cusecs to Kandaleru and 100 cusecs to North Feeder Canal.
Mallemadugu and Kalangi reservoirs and Swarnamukhi Barrage (Vakadu) in Tirupati district are receiving 8,000, 10,125 and 24,000 cusecs of water respectively. The same amount of water is being released downstream. While the full level of Krishnapuram reservoir in Chittoor district is 213 metres, water has climbed up to 210.5 metres following heavy inflows.
