VIJAYAWADA: Heavy to very heavy rains lashed north coastal districts, parts of Godavari and Krishna deltas on Saturday as a well-marked Low-Pressure Area over the Bay of Bengal off the North coastal Andhra Pradesh is likely to concentrate into a depression in the next 24 hours. Under its impact, the IMD has warned of more heavy rains in the State on Sunday.
In the 24 hours ending 8:30 am on Saturday, heavy to very heavy rainfall occurred at one or two places over West Godavari district and heavy rainfall occurred at a few places over Srikakulam and East Godavari districts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh and at one or two places over Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and at Kurnool district in Rayalaseema.
In several cities like Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam, it was drizzling throughout the day. The highest rainfall of 13 cm was reported in Bhimavaram, West Godavari district. Palakoderu in West Godavari, Veleripadu in Eluru and Palasa in Srikakulam reported 11 cm rainfall.Amalapuram in Konaseema and Mandasa in Srikakulam reported 10 cm rainfall, while several places in Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema districts recorded rains of up to 9 cm.
Several villages along the River Krishna in the districts of Krishna, Guntur, NTR, Palnadu, and Bapatla continued to be on high alert on Saturday. As of 8 pm, surplus water was released through spillways and canals at a discharge rate of 4.27 lakh cusecs.
NTR district Collector Dilli Rao visited rain-affected areas and alerted people living in the low-lying areas.
In Nellore, Somasila project officials released water at the rate of 50,745 cusecs due to heavy inflows from the upper catchment areas. The reservoir has around 71.29 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water against its full capacity of 78 TMC.It received surplus water at the rate of 44,493 cusecs from the upper catchment areas of Rayalaseema districts due to heavy rains.
More inflows expected at Kandaleru Reservoir
Kandaleru Reservoir in Nellore district received inflows at the rate of 8,890 cusecs and released floodwater at 1,050 cusecs. The reservoir has a capacity of 68 TMC, of which it is filled to 46.54 TMC. Officials are expecting more inflows in the coming days