Many dams, tanks filled as rains batter Tirupati dist

Tirupati : Heavy rains in Tirupati district due to low pressure in Bay of Bengal has paralysed normal life. Rain that started on Wednesday night is continuing Thursday also, leading to heavy inflows in many dams and also filling up minor irrigation tanks in the district.

Rainwater is flowing above danger level on causeways in several mandals and floodwater was flowing on the roads disturbing vehicular traffic in Srikalahasti. Many villages in Satyavedu constituency were cut off with outside world due to heavy rains.

According to information, the irrigation authorities opened six gates of Kalangi reservoir, while another medium irrigation project Araniyar is nearing to its full capacity due to heavy rains on the upper reaches.

Srikalahasti MLA Bojjala Sudheer Reddy inspected some of the rain-hit areas and urged the officials in mandals to take up all required measures for the relief and rehabilitation of the affected people.

District SP L Subba Rayudu alerted the police in mandals to keep a close watch at all low laying areas, villages lying on riverbanks, causeways and under bridges. Police closed the traffic at many places due to rainwater flowing above the danger mark on causeways. River points also were posted.

The Municipal Corporation has set up 17 rehabilitation centres in Tirupati, including Korramenugunta, Kothapalli, Mangalam, Postal Colony, Madhuranagar, Sanjay Gandhi Colony etc. to give shelter to the affected people of low-lying areas in the city.

Municipal Commissioner Narapureddy Mourya inspected a few rain-affected areas, like Korramenugunta, Lakshmipuram Circle, Auto Nagar, Pulavanigunta and Gollavanigunta, and urged the people in vulnerable areas to shift to rehabilitation centre as the rain is expected to continue in the district for two more days.