VIJAYAWADA: A low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal caused widespread heavy rains in several parts of Andhra Pradesh on Monday. Heavy rains battered Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and East Godavari districts, affecting normal life. District administrations have set up control rooms to monitor the situation and face any eventuality.
Kakinada Rural and Pedapudi in East Godavari received the maximum rainfall of 18.7 cm till 9 pm. Several parts of East Godavari received heavy to very heavy rains, and a similar situation prevailed in parts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, and West Godavari. The India Meteorological Department has predicted more rains in the coastal districts of the State on Tuesday.
Several other parts of the State received moderate to heavy rains. Incessant rains since morning were reported from Vijayawada and Guntur. In Guntur, Kondaveeti Vagu and other streams overflowed and flooded roads, disrupting vehicular traffic.Normal life was disrupted as heavy rains lashed Rajamahendravaram and surrounding areas, besides the Kakinada region. Low-lying areas were inundated and water gushed into the Mandal Revenue Office in Rajamahendravaram, affecting its normal functioning. Road connectivity in agency area was also affected.
Rajamahendravaram Municipal Commissioner Abhishikth Kishore asked health officials to be on alert against the fast-spreading dengue fever in the city. He directed sanitation staff to continue anti-larval operations in all the 52 divisions. Meanwhile, due to incessant rains in the upper stream area of Polavaram project, the water level at upper cofferdam rose to 30 meters.
People in 19 Polavaram mandals shifted to R&R colonies
Almost all 19 villages in Polavaram mandal have been evacuated and the villagers were shifted to R and R colonies . The road connectivity to these villages has been cut off. The Poshamma Gandi Temple was submerged in the rising backwaters and Kondamothalu and other villages remained cut off from the mainland. At Dowleswaram Barrage, 2.09 lakh cusecs of water was discharged into the sea and the inflows are expected to increase by Tuesday morning.
The current water level at the barrage is 10.40 feet, the old railway bridge 13.820 feet , Kunta 5.500 meters, Kunavaram 10.320 meters and Bhadrachalam, 21.90 feet. On the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, several parts of Guntur received very heavy rains with 18 cm of rain reported from Macherla, followed by 15 cm in Sattenapalli.