Parts of Kadapa flooded by Buggavanka

Kadapa: Residents of city went into a panic mode as the city was suddenly surrounded by floodwaters late on Thursday night following irrigation officials released 3,000 cusecs of water downstream as it received excessive inflows.

Houses in around 20 localities including Old Bustand, Nagarajupet, Ravindranagar, Tarakaramanagar, Rajivnagar, Mochampet, Habibullah street, Yanadhi Colony, Dwarakanagar, Balajinagar have come under water.

People narrowly escaped drowning in floodwaters as rescue teams immediately swung into action and shifted 450 people to relief centres. District SP K N N Anburajan is personally monitoring the situation.

However, there was no human or property loss as rescue operations were launched immediately, he told The Hans India.

It may be recalled that a dozen people were washed away in 2001 floods when water water was released from Buggavanka.

In a related incident, a car was washed away in water at Ramireddypalle village it was crossing Tummavanka stream at Vempalle mandal. But locals rescued the driver.

Following lifting of Annamaiah dam gates, water entered Hemadripuram village in Rajampet mandal. Several villages were inaccessible with many streams are in spate. Meanwhile, CK Dinne SI Rajeswara Reddy along with men rescued 15 Ayyappa devotee sleeping in Sivalayam located near Buggavanka project as floodwaters surrounded the temple on Thursday night.

Officials declared high alert in the villages located on the banks of Chitravathi, Papagni, Penna and other rivers as they are overflowing with floodwaters. Police rescued 27 people in Rajampet and Porumamilla who were trapped in the floodwater on Thursday.

Deputy Chief Minister Amzath Basha and collector Ch Harikiran visited flood affected areas in Kadapa city on Thursday night.

Visiting the relief camps on Friday, the Basha said that district administration had made necessary arrangements at the relief camps and the victims can stay till water recedes from the houses. He said that control rooms were set up at Kadapa collector office, Jammalamadugu RDO office Rajampet sub-collector office.