VIJAYAWADA/NELLORE: Normal life thrown out of gear in Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa districts, with heavy to very heavy rains lashing different parts of those districts under the influence of very severe cyclone Nivar.
The cyclone made landfall near Puducherry by 2:30 a.m on Thursday, weakened into a severe cyclone with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph.
The IMD bulletin issued this morning stated that the Nivar will weaken further into a cyclonic storm during the next few hours and move towards the north-west direction.
Meanwhile, high-velocity gale winds have uprooted several trees in the Nellore, Chittoor and Kadapa districts. Power supply was disrupted in several parts of the districts.
Around 923 families were shifted to shelter homes in Nellore. The district administration has organized 53 relief camps in government schools and other such buildings. As many as 340 families in Satyavedu mandal of Chittoor district were shifted to relief centres.
In Nellore city, trees were uprooted from Dycus road to Ramakotaiah Nagar of Nellore city. Police along with disaster management department personnel are engaged in removing trees and clearing the roads for resuming vehicular traffic.
Sullurpeta, Atmakur, Venkatagiri, and Kavali revenue divisions of the district are receiving heavy rains with gale winds since Wednesday night.
One person died on Wednesday in Nellore after he stepped on the live wire that snapped due to an uprooted electric pole. Other than that accident, according to district collector KVN Chakradhar Babu, there has been no loss of human lives or livestock as of now.
Floodwaters cuts of roads to village, farmers stranded
Vetapalem village close to Sullurpeta town was inundated with water. Around 300 persons residing in some colonies of the village have been facing troubles with floodwaters.
Keathamanneru canal in Atmakur segment has been overflowing in the Nellore district.
With heavy rains, Pulleru stream in Satyavedu mandal of Chittoor district is in spate and the road connectivity to 20 villages in the mandal has been cut off.
Three farmers got stranded in the flood water of Mallimadugu canal at Kummaripalle of Yerpedu mandal in Chittoor district, which is overflowing. NDRF teams swung into action and rescue operation is underway.
Chittoor district collector Narayana Bharath Gupta said they are closely monitoring the situation and in view of the heavy rains, roads to Srikalahasth and Pitchattor have been closed temporarily.
Heavy rains lash Tirumala since early hours of the day, leaving the four mada streets of Srivari Temple flooded and different parts of the temple township. Devotees were asked not to stand near the temple in view of rain and wind.
A few trees and bounders on the ghat road were uprooted affecting the vehicular traffic to the hill shrie. TTD staff swung into action clearing the trees and draining the rainwater.
With mountain streams overflowing due to heavy rain in Railway Kodur mandal of Kadapa district, highway between Kadapa and Tirupati was badly affected with rainwater overflowing on the roads. The vehicular traffic on both sides got stranded.
The officials advised people to postpone their travel on the route.
State Disaster Management Authority which is closely monitoring the situation said heavy rains are expected to continue in Chittoor, Prakasam, and Kadapa districts while light to moderate rains are likely to be received in other parts of the state under the influence of cyclone Nivar. People in cyclone-affected areas are advised to stay put in their homes till the situation returns to normal.
CM Jagan Mohan Reddy meeting with officials, ex-gratia to the dead
Meanwhile, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took stock of the situation with higher officials at his camp office on Thursday morning. Officials informed him that after making the landfall, the cyclone started weakening.
They said under the impact of the cyclone, heavy rains were received in Yerpedu, Srikalahasti Satyavedu in Chittoor districts and different parts of Nellore district. An average 7 cm of rain was recorded in the Nellore district till afternoon.
Officials said expecting the impact of heavy rains on the flood situation in Penna, outflows from Somasill are being regulated. In some places, standing crops were inundated in the rainwater, they added.
Chief Minister enquired about the rescue efforts going on in Mallemadugu to rescue three stranded farmers and asked them to make every effort. He also directed the officials to provide ex-gratia to the family of the person who died due to electric shock in Nellore, when he stepped on a live wire, which got snapped due to an uprooted tree.
Officials were instructed to take steps to extend help in case of losses due to heavy rains and also prepare reports of the damage due to rains.