Kurnool: An APSRTC bus carrying 14 passengers and crew from Thimmanayinapeta to Koilakuntla got stuck in the floods on the Paleru canal bridge in Sanjamala on Thursday.
The water rose to a depth of four feet, causing a harrowing situation for the passengers. Locals intervened and rescued them.
Kurnool and Nandyal districts experienced heavy downpours late on Wednesday due to the sway of an active monsoon system, leading to massive flooding of several areas. The Bethamcherla and Sanjamala mandals were among the worst affected, receiving around 10 cm of rainfall.
Other areas like Panyam recorded 6.6 cm, Bandi Atmakur 6.5 cm, Dhone 5 cm and Gospadu 4 cm of precipitation.
In Kurnool, the Orvakal area received 6.7 cm of rainfall while Veldurthy, Kowthalam and Kurnool urban areas recorded 4.7 cm, 3.8 cm and 1.2 cm respectively on Wednesday night.
The villages of Brahmana Kotkur, Allur, Vaddemanu and Bollavaram in Nandikotkur mandal bore the brunt of the. Local streams and rivulets in Vaddemanu village overflowed, inundating nearby areas.
Banaganapalle and adjoining areas in Nandyal district also experienced heavy rainfall until Thursday morning. The Kovelakuntla, Sanjamala, Owk and Kolimigundla mandals were also affected by the downpour.
The Kovelakuntla and Sanjamala mandals were particularly hard hit, with the swollen Paleru stream overflowing its banks.
Meanwhile, Tirupati was thrown into chaos on Thursday after a brief but intense downpour caused flooding and traffic disruptions. The short spells on Wednesday and Thursday overwhelmed the city's ill-maintained drainage system. This led to the overflowing of sewers and waterlogging on the roads.
The brief rains turned roads into rivers, with knee-deep water getting mixed with sewage flows. Vehicles could not ply and pedestrians were also badly hit.
Devotees visiting the Tirumala Venkateswara temple had to wade through foul-smelling waters. The Korlagunta road from APSRTC’s Central Bus Station to Leela Mahal junction was submerged, causing hardships for commuters.
The city had to cope with the situations of overflowing drains and flooded streets, exacerbating traffic snarls. The low-lying areas were the worst hit, with some rail under-bridges too flooded.
According to IMD, Tirupati (Urban) experienced 68.2 mm of rainfall on Thursday.
The civic crisis highlighted the longstanding issue of inadequate storm water drainage infrastructure and improper maintenance of the systems by the municipal authorities. Residents expressed their anger over the situation, saying this has become an annual occurrence during the monsoon season and no remedial action was taken.
“It was a nightmare trying to navigate the streets," said Rajesh Reddy, a local resident.
"The drains were overflowing and sewage mixed with rainwater made the stench unbearable. I had to carry my children on my shoulders to avoid them wading through the filthy waters," he said.
The operations to drain out the floodwaters continued into the night.
