Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu with others during a visit to a flood-affected area, in Vijayawada. (PTI Photo)
The situation continues to remain grim with nearly 110 villages submerged under floodwaters in Telangana and Andhra CM Naidu seeking Centre’s help to carry out rescue operations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and enquired about the situation in these states in the wake of heavy rains and floods. He further assured of all possible assistance from the Centre to overcome this challenge.
Torrential rains battered Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for the second consecutive day, resulting in at least 10 more fatalities, flooding and waterlogging in several areas, and disruptions to road and rail traffic on Sunday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Sunday regarding the situation following heavy rains in the state and assured that the Centre would extend necessary help.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu spoke to the Central Home Secretary on Sunday after having a conversation with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue of bringing power boats to the state urgently for relief measures in the flood-affected areas.
The Home Secretary informed that 6 NDRF teams, with 25 members each are being sent to the state immediately from other states. Each of the teams will be having four power boats. All these teams are expected to reach Vijayawada before Monday morning.
Heavy rains continued to lash many parts of Telangana as well, including Hyderabad. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday held an emergency review with ministers, officials and elected members to address the ongoing situation.
Key Points On Flood Situation in Andhra, Telangana
- Torrential rains in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for the second consecutive day resulted in at least 10 more fatalities on Sunday.
- Among the most affected in Telangana is the Khammam district where nearly 110 villages submerged under floodwaters.
- Waterlogging was reported on railway tracks at several locations under the South Central Railway. While 99 trains were cancelled, four were partially cancelled and 54 were diverted.
- In a weather warning, the Met Centre in Hyderabad said on Sunday that very heavy to extremely heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, Jogulamba Gadwal, Mahbubabad, Jangaon districts of Telangana from 8.30 am of Sunday till 8.30 am of September 2. It also issued a red warning for this forecast.
- Rivers in both states were in spate and thousands of people were evacuated by national and state disaster response forces from flooded areas to relief camps.
- Telangana Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said despite several precautionary measures, nine persons lost their lives in various parts of the state in separate rain-related incidents.
- Telangana chief minister appealed to people not to venture out of their homes unless in an emergency. Citizens living in low lying areas are advised to be more vigilant and inform the authorities over the phone in case of an emergency or any assistance required, the release said.
- In Andhra Pradesh, unprecedented rainfall in the past two days paralysed normal life in several places, especially in Vijayawada and its vicinity while 17,000 affected people were evacuated across the state.
- Alerting people living in low-lying areas, Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority managing director R Kurmandh said the first level warning has been issued at Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada as the Krishna river is in spate, following heavy inflow.
- Andhra CM Naidu said arrangements for food were being made at the rehabilitation centres for the people. Relief measures also include the distribution of 25 kg rice, 1 kg dal, 1 kg sugar, 1 kg onions and 1 kg oil, he added. In the special case of weavers and fishermen who would lose out on their livelihood for an extended period due to the deluge, the CM said a double portion of rice would be distributed to them.
- Naidu said that 17,000 rain-affected people were evacuated to 107 relief camps while over 1.1 lakh hectares of agricultural fields and 7,360 hectares of horticultural fields were damaged.
- Due to heavy rains, water is flowing on NH 65 at Chillakallu and Nandigama in Andhra Pradesh and the Paleru River is overflowing on the road at Nayakinigudem on the way from Suryapet to Khammam in Telangana, officials said.
- A woman died and three others were feared washed away in separate rain-related incidents in Mahabubabad and Khammam districts of Telangana on Sunday.
- Telangana chief minister held teleconference with top officials and the Chief Secretary, DGP and the officials of State Municipal Administration, Energy, Panchayati Raj, HYDRAA, Irrigation departments were asked to be alert in the next 24 hours.
- A portion of gravel under the railway track near Kesamudram in Mahabubabad district was washed away due to floodwaters, stranding passengers on a train at Kesamudram railway station.
- Meanwhile, a control room was opened at state Secretariat in Telangana’s Hyderabad to monitor heavy rains in the state, an official release said.
(with PTI inputs)
