The Andhra Pradesh Government on Sunday announced relief measures to the victims for rains and floods that lashed the State for last three days.
At a high-level review meeting with the Chief Secretary and other senior officials, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy directed the officials to distribute 10 kg rice to the affected.
He had also enhanced financial assistance for clothing and utensils to Rs 5,000 from Rs 3,000 apart from two litres of kerosene to each family. The victims included evacuees from low-lying areas, fishermen and handloom weavers, among others.
The Chief Minister would also conduct an aerial survey and visit rain-affected areas in Prakasam and Guntur districts and review rescue, relief and restoration operations from Monday morning.
Ministers M. Maheedhar Reddy, Kasu Krishna Reddy, Mohd. Ahmedullah, P.C. Mohanty Chief Secretary, T. Radha, Commissioner – Disaster Management and other senior officials attended the meeting, according to a release.
Meanwhile, the relief efforts are progressing in the State. About 19 teams of disaster relief force consisting 760 personnel are on the ground for rescue and relief operations along with police, fire and other officials. About 4,200 villages in 521 mandals in 16 districts were badly-affected.
Traffic hit
Heavy rains continued to batter the coastal districts from Srikakulam to Nellore for the sixth day on Sunday and train traffic was disrupted between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam on Sunday, as the track was inundated or damaged at several places. Several trains were cancelled, and many were diverted. Many trains had to be stopped at different stations between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam, causing great hardship to passengers. To make matters worse, the roads were also flooded and had become almost impassable at several places between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.
The railway authorities had been diverting the Howrah-bound trains at Vizianagaram for the past four to five days, but on Sunday trains could not even reach Visakhapatnam from Vijayawada due to extensive flooding. The trains were running late by several hours.
Crops impacted
There has been extensive damage to paddy crop in the two Godavari districts, Krishna, Guntur and other districts, as the fields have remained under water for five to six days. Kharif paddy in many areas is in the ripening stage and therefore it is feared there may be considerable damage. Cotton, chilli and turmeric have also suffered heavy damage in Guntur and Prakasam districts as well as other districts.
In Srikakulam, the situation is particularly bad as the district was already hit by the recent Phailin cyclone. The cyclone warning centre has predicted rain for one more day. The functioning of Visakhapatnam and Gangavaram ports has also been affected by the rains.