TIRUPATI / KADAPA: Parts of Nellore, Chittoor and Kadapa districts have been receiving incessant rains since Saturday late night, putting the official machinery on high alert. Butchireddypalem in Nellore district received the highest rainfall of 14 cm, followed by Atmakuru with 10 cm in the last 24 hours.
Nellore, Kodavaluru, Naidupet and Vidavaluru mandals received 10 to 11 cm rainfall, while Kovur and Sangam recorded 9 cm. An average rainfall of 6 cm was recorded in the entire district. Many low-lying areas close to the city such as Janardhan Reddy Colony and Bhagat Singh Colony were inundated. Several colonies located on the outskirts of Atmakur were flooded.
Somasila project has been receiving 45,176 cusecs of inflows. Irrigation officials started releasing 45,255 cusecs from the project. They are getting ready to discharge around 1 lakh cusecs of water keeping in view the flood situation in its upper catchment areas. Road connectivity between Chitvel and Rapur in Nellore district was cut off as local streams at Anumpalli are in spate.
People living in low-lying areas have been advised to shift to relief centres set up in government schools in the district.The temple town of Tirupati received moderate to heavy rainfall on Sunday. Sathyavedu mandal recorded the highest rainfall of 5 cm in Chittoor district. A house collapsed in Tirupati. However, no loss of life was reported.
With heavy rain forecast for the next four days in south coastal Andhra and Chittoor in Rayalaseema, the district administrations of Nellore and Chittoor directed special officers to take all precautionary measures to mitigate loss.
In Kadapa, moderate to heavy rains lashed several parts. With a majority of water bodies full to the brim due to the recent downpour leading to breaching of minor irrigation projects at some places, the district administration sounded an alert in the downstream areas of all the projects and asked people residing in low-lying areas to shift to safer places. Holiday has been declared for schools on Monday.
SDRF teams have been put on alert for relief and rescue operations. Police personnel were deployed at all the streams and culverts to keep a vigil and prevent people from crossing the overflowing causeways. In Railway Kodur, a rain-soaked building collapsed. However, no casualties were reported a. Police shifted several people living in old and dilapidated houses to relief centres. Yogi Vemana University postponed the second semester degree, BEd, MEd, MBA and MCA exams.
Building collapses in incessant rain
On a day when heavy rains were lashing Tirupati on Sunday, a six-decade-old double storey building collapsed at Bhavani Nagar in the town late on Saturday night. None were injured. MCT said the building belonged to one MG Srinivasan, a priest at Tiruchanoor Padmavathi Ammavari temple.
More rains likely in south coastal Andhra
Heavy rains are likely at isolated places in Nellore, Prakasam and Chittoor districts on Monday. Light to moderate rains may occur at several places across south coastal districts and Rayalaseema and at a few places in north coastal AP
Holiday for schools in Kadapa, exams deferred
Holiday has been declared for schools in Kadapa on Monday. Yogi Vemana University has postponed the second semester degree and BEd, MEd, MBA and MCA exams. Police have been posted at causeways to prevent people from crossing streams
Control rooms set up
Kadapa collectorate - 08562-246344, 08562-244437
Kadapa RDO office - 08562-295990
Rajampet - 08565-240066
Jammalamadugu - 9966225191
Atmakur constituency
Minister M Gautham Reddy office
Manohar Reddy 9440189133
Shankar Reddy 9441251746
Prakasam district police - Dial 100 or WhatsApp No. 9121102266