SRIKAKULAM: THE traffic flow was disrupted for over an hour at the VP Colony of Laveru on Thursday as the culvert over the sub-canal of Totapalli reservoir was damaged owing to heavy rain.
Vehicle movement was suspended over the culvert after some motorists noticed the damge, resulting in a bumper-to-bumper jam on the road.
Being informed, Totapalli project executive engineer Rama Chandra Rao and along with R&B engineers and police reached the spot.
A part of the culvert was damaged and lacking of proper curing of the slabs on it was to be blamed.
Howewver, the cement pillars supporting the structure prevented it from caving in, the officials said after inspecting the culvert, the officials said after inspection.
The R&B officials immediately started repairing the culvert and movement of light vehicles resumed in an hour. However, heavy vehicles moving towards Subadrapuram and Cheepurupalli were diverted at Ranasthalam.
Uninterrupted rain lashed the Srikakulam district, recording an average of 2.8 cm. The district headquarters received heavy rain followed by Etcherla, Laveru, Narsannapeta, Palasa, Mandasa, and many othr areas. Many interior areas of Srikakulam town were flooded with swelling drain water.
Srikakulam Collector P Lakshmi Narashimham dircted the officials to remain alert with all precautionary measures in place, especially in the coastal areas of the district.
As a safety measure, a control room has been set up at the collectorate and in all mandala headqaurters.
In Vizianagaram district, the district headquarters, Bobbili, Salur and areas in its agency received heavy rain. Collector MM Nayak has set up a control room.
Salt farmers in dock
Heavy rain which has been lashing the Srikakulam district from Wednesday night brought smiles to the ryots , but unleashed worries for salt farmers. Salt farmers of Naupada in Santabommali mandal where the salt is being made along the sea cost in more than 5,000 acres are a worried lot.”We have to incure severe losses, if rain coninues for another day,” N Bheema Rao, a salt farmer said.