Thousands shifted to relief centres in Andhra's Guntur district

District Collector J Venkata Murali informed that 20 rehabilitation centres have been set up to accommodate 20,000 people. About 40 boats, 300 skilled divers, NDRF teams and special teams have been deployed for rescue operations.

People being rescued from the flood affected areas of Singh Nagar in Vijayawada in a tractor on Sunday| Photo | Prasant Madugula

GUNTUR: The officials of the erstwhile undivided Guntur district are on high alert following the heavy rains and the release of surplus water from Prakasam Barrage. Rescue operations have been launched in 16 island villages in Tadepalli, Mangalagiri, Pedakakani, Prathipadu and Duggirala mandals. People have been evacuated from island villages in Uddandarayunipalem and Thallayapalem in Thullur using boats and shifted to rehabilitation centres.

As many as 28 rehabilitation centres have been set up and over 4,500 people shifted in Pedakakani, Medikondur, Thullur, Vattichekuru, Tenali, Kollipara, Mangalagiri, Tadepalli, Duggirala, Mangalagiri Tadepalli Municipal Corporation and Ponnur. Joint Collector Bhargav Tej and SP Sathish Kumar oversaw the rescue operations.

Union Minister Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh visited the inundated areas in Guntur city and Mangalagiri respectively and interacted with the people at rehabilitation centres. They directed the officials to provide all basic amenities to the rain victims. In Bapatla, six lanka villages in Kolluru mandal are likely to be flooded. Hence, children, women and elderly people have been shifted to to rehabilitation centres.

officials oversee evacuation of people and cattle from island villages of the erstwhile undivided Guntur district as a precautionary measure Photo | | Prasant Madugula

District Collector J Venkata Murali informed that 20 rehabilitation centres have been set up to accommodate 20,000 people. About 40 boats, 300 skilled divers, NDRF teams and special teams have been deployed for rescue operations. Four lakh water packets per day, 9,600 kg of potatoes and 9,600 kg of onions and other essentials have been kept ready at relief centres. The Collector, along with SP Tushar Dudi, visited the flood-hit villages and monitored relief operations.

In Palnadu district, 24 mandals received more than 10 cm rainfall. Six rehabilitation centres have been set up in Amaravati, Krosuru and Nadendla mandals and over 2,000 people have been shifted to safer places. Police have rescued over 50 people and a large number of cattle stuck in the floods in Vaikunthapuram, Amaravati, Gidugu, Pondugula, Munugodu and Dharanikota villages in Amaravathi mandal, and in Kosuru, Kastala and Chamarru island villages in Atchampet in 14 boats.

District Collector P Arun Babu and SP K Srinivasa Rao visited the rehabilitation centres. Heavy boulders fell on Kondaveedu Ghat Road. Officials informed that the Kondaveedu Nagaravanam will be closed for the next two days as a precautionary measure.