VIJAYAWADA: NTR District collector Dr G. Srijana stated that a record 26 cm of rainfall within 24 hours, coupled with heavy flood inflows into Prakasam Barrage and Budameru stream caused the devastating floods in Vijayawada city. She urged the flood victims not to agitate and assured them that the flood damage would be assessed and necessary assistance would be provided by the state government.
Speaking to media persons at the district collectorate on Thursday, Srijana mentioned 32 out of 64 wards in Vijayawada, including some areas in Ibrahimpatnam and G. Konduru mandals, were inundated with floodwaters after nearly 40,000 cusecs of water from Budameru, record floods to Prakasam Barrage at 11.43 lakh cusecs and unprecedented rains, the highest in the past 200 years, all occurred simultaneously.
She said the damage assessment process would begin on Friday and the assistance for those whose houses were partially or completely damaged would be provided according to government guidelines. Srijana informed that water levels had completely receded in 26 out of the 32 wards and nearly 10,000 sanitation workers were working round the clock to improve sanitation.
Srijana further stated that power supply had been restored to most of the areas and efforts were ongoing to restore power to other areas. She elaborated that two out of three breaches in the Budameru had been repaired and work on the third breach was being carried out on a war footing.
A total of 29 NDRF teams and nearly 300 boats, along with IAF and Navy helicopters, participated in relief operations in the flood-affected areas. Additionally, drones were deployed to deliver food and drinking water to the stranded people.
The district collector further mentioned that a 24/7 control room had been set up under the supervision of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who is continuously monitoring the flood relief activities in the affected areas.
