AP flood situation remains grim

Vijayawada: With the cyclonic storm formed in the Bay of Bengal causing a rain deluge in Krishna and NTR districts, Andhra Pradesh government has launched a massive relief and rescue operation.

Though rain stopped pounding several parts of the State, several areas are still reeling under flood waters paralysing normal life on Monday. Trains services were seriously disrupted even as efforts were on to clear the flooded railway tracks near Vijayawada. Some of the long distance trains were diverted.

National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) supplemented the efforts of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in carrying out relief and restoration works on a war footing. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah separately to apprise them of the gravity of the situation and sought the Central assistance to face the calamity. He sought additional boats and helicopters. Repeating the precedent set by him during Cyclone Hudhud in Visakhapatnam in 2014, which left a trail of devastation in its wake in the industrial city, Naidu operated from his caravan throughout the night. The NTR District Collectorate turned into a hub of activity with several Ministers monitoring the situation from there and now and then conducting field visits in boats to the flooded areas.

The rain deluge left 11 dead and three missing. It caused heavy damage to agriculture crops in Krishna and NTR districts. Naidu shifted administration to the nearest point of flood affected region and stayed in a caravan on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. He visited flood affected regions repeatedly throughout the night to instill confidence among people.

Incidentally, the State, during the past three days, received 29 cm to 34 cm resembling the after-effects of a massive cloud burst hitting normal life. Traffic flow on national highways came to a halt with overflowing flood water. Multiplying the flood devastation, Budameru stream passing through Vijayawada city submerged several colonies forcing nearly two lakh people to take shelter on the terrace or first floor of their buildings to save their lives.