AP rains: Officials told to take steps to prevent loss of life

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has held a review meeting with officials from rain-affected districts on Friday, directing them to estimate the situation of rainfall and floods with information from the Meteorological Department to alert people and prevent loss of life. The chief minister directed officials to prepare in advance and work towards preventing loss of life and property.

“Against an average Statewide rainfall of 185 mm by this time, 244 mm rainfall has been recorded. Across the State, 31 per cent excess rainfall has been registered,” Naidu said in an official press release. There were also places that recorded 130 mm rainfall, and the CM directed officials to continuously monitor the swollen banks of ponds, streams and other water bodies.

Naidu alleged that due to the erstwhile YSRCP government’s indiscriminate mining of sand, the Godavari river’s banks have been weakened, and instructed officials to keep an eye on them. Calling on revenue department and irrigation officials to work in coordination, the CM advised them to take decisions based on the flood manual.