Andhra Pradesh: Seven die in rain-related incidents

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Seven people lost their lives in rain-related incidents across Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. This also includes the four deaths in Vijayawada's Mogalrajapuram area owing to landslides, officials reported.

The landslide fatalities occurred when large boulders, loosened by heavy rain, crashed onto houses. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed sorrow over the tragedy and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the victims.

In response to the incident, the Chief Minister directed officials to relocate residents from areas that are at a risk of landslides, as heavy rainfall is expected to continue in the state for the next two to three days.

In another tragic incident at Pedakakani village in Guntur district, a teacher and two students lost their lives when their car was swept away while crossing an overflowing stream. "The incident occurred around 12.30 pm. After classes were suspended owing to the rains, the teacher and the two students were returning to a nearby village when their car was washed away," Guntur district Superintendent of Police S Satish told PTI. Though the stream was not large, the light hatchback could not withstand the force of the water. The police later recovered all the three bodies.

In the past 24 hours, several areas in Andhra Pradesh, including Vijayawada, experienced continuous heavy rainfall, PTI reported. Vijayawada city alone recorded 18 cm of rain by Saturday morning, with the downpour continuing throughout the day.

Municipal Commissioner H M Dhyanachandra reported that multiple civic teams were working tirelessly to divert floodwaters from inundated roads back into canals using pumps. He noted that 22 locations in the city were particularly affected, with rainwater entering homes in a few flood-prone wards. The ongoing rainfall was hampering relief efforts, he added.

To assist those affected, all community halls in Vijayawada were opened, and food and drinking water were provided. Other areas such as Machilipatnam, Gudivada, and Narasapuram also experienced significant rainfall, further disrupting normal life.

The Meteorological Department issued warnings of heavy to very heavy rainfall across several parts of Andhra Pradesh due to a depression over the Bay of Bengal, which is expected to make landfall near Kalingapatnam around midnight. Squally weather with wind speeds reaching up to 50 km per hour is anticipated over parts of the Bay of Bengal.

In light of these forecasts, the Chief Minister held a teleconference with officials to review the situation. He instructed the government machinery to remain on high alert and emphasized the need for coordination between the Irrigation and Revenue Departments to monitor water bodies.

The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) warned that parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, including Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram, and Visakhapatnam districts, would experience heavy rain and strong winds. Residents were cautioned to be vigilant around overflowing streams, uprooted power lines, and low-lying areas.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) also warned that most rivers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are expected to swell over the next two days. As a result, increased water flow into reservoirs like Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam is anticipated, and the CWC advised that water discharge should follow standard procedures, with downstream residents duly informed.

(With PTI inputs)