North coastal AP reels under rain fury

Vijayawada: Heavy rain under the impact of the low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal wreaked havoc in north coastal Andhra Pradesh and Godavari districts, inundating low-lying areas and disrupting road transport.

Heavy rain continued in the undivided districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, East Godavari and West Godavari for a second consecutive day on Monday, submerging roads and agriculture fields.

Overflowing rivulets, streams, lakes and irrigation tanks inundated low-lying areas, cutting off dozens of villages.

The Port Meteorological (MeT) office in Visakhapatnam forecasting more rain and issuing a red alert for a couple of districts, authorities have declared a holiday for educational institutions.

Collectors of Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitharamaraju, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Kakinada have issued the directions.

The state government has set up a cyclone control room in Visakhapatnam. Control rooms were also opened in police and tehsildar offices.

Officials closed ghat roads in Alluri Sitharama Raju district in view of the landslide threat due to heavy rain.

A minivan got washed away in floods in Srikakulam. Locals managed to save the driver. Thandava and Kalyanapulova reservoirs in Anakapalli district have reached the danger mark. Two gates of the Thandava reservoir were lifted to release 600 cusecs of water. The water level in the reservoir is 379 feet against the full tank level of 380 feet. Water from the reservoir was flowing over the adjoining road. Authorities alerted people in low-lying areas.

Authorities have closed the road between Narsipatnam and Tuni for vehicular traffic as a precautionary measure as lakes and tanks along the stretch were overflowing. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam and Vizianagaram districts.

Extremely heavy rainfall is likely to occur in these districts. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely at isolated places.

The IMD has issued an orange alert for Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitharamaraju and Anakapalli districts.

North coastal Andhra is facing a flood threat even as Vijayawada in NTR district and some other districts of south coastal Andhra are yet to recover from the devastation caused by last week’s heavy rain and floods, which claimed 45 lives.