KURNOOL/KADAPA/ANANTAPUR/TIRUPATI: Two people lost their lives in rain-related accidents in Anantapur on Tuesday. Fourteen-year-old G Naveena died when the roof of her house collapsed on her in Vardayapalle village of Peddapappur mandal. Her parents — Husenabi and Dastagir —- escaped with minor injuries. In Tadipatri, 30-year-old K Siva Kumar fell into the Pena in an inebriated state.
Meanwhile, with waters of the Handri flooding low-lying areas for the second day on Tuesday, residents of Kurnool are a worried lot. The nightmarish experience of 2009, when the Handri and Tungabhadra submerged large parts of the city, is etched clearly in their minds.
With heavy downpour pounding Kurnool city and four other nearby mandals, the Handri, which flows through them, has swelled at an alarming rate. The discharge rate of water in the minor river was 76,000 cusecs, while in the major river Tungabhadra to which it merges in the outskirts of Kurnool was 70,000 cusecs. Kurnool city was flooded for days when the small river breached its banks in 2009. “We are worried, we may have to face a similar situation,” said M Suresh from Budavari Peta in the city.
His family was one among the 1,500 moved from low-lying areas in the city. In all, 30 colonies, including those in Budvari Peta and One Town area, have been inundated. At certain locations, the water level is 10 feet high. “The water has not yet receded. We fear if we may have to face a crisis,” said M Raghu of Saibaba Nagar. The situation is no different in around 100 villages in Gonegandla, Devarakonda, Kodumur and Kallur mandals located along the course of the Handri. The district administration is already on high alert.
Around 50 villages in the rest of the district have been cut off due to overflowing streams and canals. At places, huge trees got uprooted causing damage to property. Traffic came to a standstill on NH 545 for five hours when a tree fell across the road. Road connectivity in Banaganapalle, Kodumur and Kallur mandals was disrupted.
It is after a decade that the Chitravati has breached its banks in Anantapur. In Kadapa district, the Penna, Chitravathi and Mandya have reached the brink. The Gates of Gandikota reservoir were lifted and 6,000 cusecs released to Mylavaram reservoir.Two APSRTC buses got struck in the flood waters on the bridge over Koduru stream in Yerraguntla mandal. The buses had to be stopped on the bridge as water entered them. Villagers and police rushed to the spot and saved all 30 passengers. Around 16 colonies in Chittoor district headquarters remained inundated though rains subsided. Water levels in Srisailam Reservoir is near 884 feet against the FRL of 885 feet. Dam officials have alerted the government and most of the gates are likely to be lifted on Wednesday morning.
Five shepherds saved
A group of five shepherds who got struck near the flooded banks of the Handri in Remaduru village of Kurnool district at the break of dawn were saved by police and locals from getting washed away.
It took three hours to usher the shepherds and their 500 sheep to safety. Meanwhile, Penna, Kundu, Chitravati, Papagni and other minor rivers in Rayalaseema are in spate.