The Andhra Pradesh Government has stepped up efforts for relief and rehabilitation in the rain-battered districts of Kadapa, Nellore and Chittoor districts of the State prioritising restoration of communication lines, transport networks and power supply.
The rain toll has gone up to 13 in the past few days and relief camps have been set up in various districts of the State.
State Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who conducted a aerial survey of some of the rain battered parts of the State, reviewed the relief and rehabilitation measures with District Collectors and senior officials, directing them to be vigilant, deploy more teams and ensure relief measures.
M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Urban Development Minister, has taken up the issue of rain havoc with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Cabinet colleagues, highlighting the concerns and immediate need for support.
The cyclonic depression in the Bay of Bengal has resulted in incessant rains over the past few days in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu leading to loss of life, damage to infrastructure, and agriculture fields. Estimates are yet to be taken up as most of the areas are still under water.
Most of the rivers and reservoirs in the three districts are in spate, and several canals and embankments have breached. The National Highway 5 between Nellore and Chennai has been cut off due to one of the streams overflowing. A 30-metre stretch which has breached has paralysed the transport between Vijayawada-Chennai. Train services too have been affected, forcing Railways authorities to cancel trains.
Special teams from National Disaster Relief Force have been pressed into service for rescue and relief operations. Apart from districts in Rayalaseema, in Nellore, Prakasham and East and West Godavari districts, there has been extensive damage to crop due to inundation and water logging.
Barring Nellore district in the State, rain intensity has come down in other parts of Andhra Pradesh, particularly Kadapa and Chittoor districts, which had to bear the major brunt of the rain fury.
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