Rains destroy paddy over 400 hectares in N. Andhra; depression moves northeast

Stagnant water has discoloured both harvested and ready-to-harvest paddy even as rainfall continued in north Andhra region on Saturday, with the depression over west central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh coast moving east, north-eastwards on Saturday.

An IMD Amaravati report said the system, located about 430 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 490 km east-northeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 580 km south of Gopalpur (Odisha), is weakening gradually.

Light to moderate rains are likely at one or two places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema on Sunday.

The IMD forecast that thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning, will occur at isolated places over south coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) on Monday. Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places over SCAP and Rayalaseema. Thunderstorms accompanied with lightning have been predicted at isolated places over SCAP and Rayalaseema from December 24 to December 26.

As per the IMD, Bondapalle in Vizianagaram district received 9 cm rainfall from Friday morning to Saturday morning (8:30 am), followed by 8 cm each in Merakamudidam, Bobbili, Therlam and Mentada in Vizianagaram district and Bheemili in Vizag city, and 7 cm each in Nellimarla, Garividi, Cheepurupalli and Gajapathinagaram in Vizianagaram district.

The remaining parts of north Andhra Pradesh recorded rainfall between 2 cm and 5 cm during the period.

Owing to the rains, temperature has dropped at most places in Andhra Pradesh, with the highest fall of five degrees Celsius being at Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam, the temperature recorded being 21 degrees Celsius.