VIJAYAWADA: Heavy rain since Monday night triggered landslides at Nalugu Sthambala Centre at Vidyadharapuram in the city killing one person. Rains also left several roads inundated in the city. Transportation to several villages was cut off in the district as streams and rivulets flowed over the culverts.
In Vijayawada, a 50-year-old man died in roof collapse after boulders rolled down a hill near Vidyadharapuram. Locals said that the incident happened around 7:30 am, when the victim, T Siva Shankar Rao, was watching television in his house down the hill. All of a sudden, boulders fell on his house. Rao was buried under the debris, while his wife suffered injuries. Neighbors informed the police and fire safety personnel about the incident.
A team of police personnel reached the spot and shifted the injured woman to the hospital. After removing the debris, Siva Shankar Rao was shifted to the hospital, where he succumbed to injuries.
Meanwhile, boulders rolled down on the ghat road of Kanaka Durga temple on Tuesday morning. This created panic among the temple authorities and devotees as the works of Dasara festivities are going on at the hill shrine. However, no one was injured in the incident.
Temple officials swung into action and cleared the boulders by deploying machinery and stated that iron fencing will be strengthened on the hill shrine to prevent untoward incidents in the future.
District Collector A Md Imtiaz conducted a ground-level inspection in the low-lying areas of the city and its suburbs. He inspected Rajiv Nagar in Kondapalli which was inundated following a downpour. Later, he visited the Housing Board Colony, Urmila Nagar, Rotary Nagar, and Bhavanipuram.
Guidelines issued by Fire Safety dept
Two-wheeler riders should stay away from driving through the overflowing streams
Pedestrians and commuters should be watchful while passing under power cables, manholes, and UGD lines
Public residing in the old and dilapidated buildings on the hillocks should relocate to safer locations
In case of emergency, they can dial 100 for assistance