Cyclone Phethai severely affects Pithapuram

• Continuous rain creats havoc in the town
• Road turns canal
• Huge hoarding falls down at bypass road
• Gales destroy transformer at Gollaprolu
• Thatched hut collapses at P Donthamuru
• Precautionary measures avert human and property loss

Pithapuram: Cyclone Phethai on Monday affected the Pithapuram constituency with trees down due to heavy rain. Towns as well as villages were immersed in the dark due to the power cut as the electric polls fell down and wires were snapped off. 

Low level areas were inundated. Precautionary measures taken by officials become futile as the farm produce drenched in the rain water. The authorities arranged relief centres in seven villages. Their alertness averted major untoward incidents. 

The drizzle started on Sunday night turned heavy on Monday afternoon. The continuous down pour created havoc in the town and villages in the mandal. With gales and cold waves the situation became worsen. People confined to their houses. 

Main roads were deserted. Shops were not opened. Holidays were declared to educational institutions. As there is no power supply, business establishments including movie theatres were closed. 

When the gales started, huge hoarding on the bypass road between Pithapuram and Gollaprolu collapsed. A house was damaged as a coconut tree fallen on it at Bheem nagar. Nobody was injured. 

Relief centres at seven villages

Relief centres were arranged at Kumarapuram, Kandarada, Narsingapuram, Chitrada, Navkhandrawada, Madhavapuram and Illindrada villages. Apart from drinking water and food items, generators were readied. 

Municipal officers took precautionary measures at low level areas in the town such as Jaggaiah Cheruvu, Indira nagar, Vidyut nagar, Yanadula colony, Sakalaiah cheruvu and Kathulagudem. Drains were made with mini proclainers to avert stagnation of flood water. 

Another seven proclainers were stationed to remove fallen trees. Tahsildar B Suguna, municipal commissioner G Srujana, MPDO Subba Rao and AO Gangadhar were continuously monitoring the situation. VROs struggled a lot in protecting the farm produce. 

Water supply with generators

AE (electrical) Gowtham said that electric poles fall down at two places on bypass road. Due to disruption in the power supply, generators were arranged for drinking water supply. 

The commissioner said that uninterrupted water supply will be restored by Tuesday evening. Municipal AE Vamsi Abhishek said that if situation arises, five tankers were readied to supply water to the distance areas. 

They appealed to the people to call toll free numbers 088659-251208, 96768698897 for any assistance. 

Meanwhile, thatched hut of Polarapu Venkayyamma in P Donthamuru was collapsed due to the gales. Paddy heaps inundated at Bhogapuram. 

As the rain water stagnated in the crop fields, farmers faced difficulty in removing it.