Kurnool, Kadapa districts face fury of rains, floods

Kurnool/Kadapa/Vijayawada: Heavy rains lashed some mandals of Kadapa district for the third continuous day on Sunday while Kurnool district got some respite as floodwater receded in many parts of the district after causing agony for two days. The administration has been trying to restore normalcy and rendering assistance to the flood-affected people in the two districts.

On the other hand, inflows into Prakasam Barrage, Vijayawada, crossed five lakh cusecs mark by Sunday and the first warning was issued by the district administration. The floodwaters were released into sea by lifting the crest gates of the barrage.

Kadapa district has received copious rainfall and recorded 5.4 mm average rainfall and Jammalamadugu received the highest rainfall of 35.2 mm on Sunday. Normal life was badly hit in the mandals of Porumamilla, Kalasapadu, Kasinayina and Jammalamadugu where people living in low-lying areas were forced to stay in knee-deep water following widespread rains and overflowing of rivulets, streams and tanks for the last four days.

Vehicular traffic was disrupted between various destinations in Peddamudium, Proddaturu, Duvvuru, Yerraguntla and Mydukuru areas with streams, rivulets, rivers like Pennar and its tributaries Sagileru, Papagni, Kundu being in spate. The district administration has issued danger warnings alerting the people not to cross the streams and rivulets.

Officials released 15,000 cusecs water to Mylavaram reservoir from Gandikota dam which crossed its Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 13.50 tmcft on Sunday. Meanwhile, due to continuous inflows of floodwater from Srisailam dam, Tallaproddaturu was marooned in floodwater.

Situation turned more pathetic with the back waters of Somasila reservoir released into Pennar river. Some villages in Sidhavatam mandal have been facing inundation problem. In Kadapa city, several low-lying areas were inundated due to overflowing of drains. Officials lifted four crest gates of Buggavanka dam to avoid inundation of Kadapa city.

Deputy Chief Minister Amzath Basha who visited low-lying areas in Kadapa directed the officials to allow the water flow by removing silt from the drains. He said that removal of illegal structures built on the drains is the only solution to check inundation problem.

On the other hand, Kurnool district is gradually recovering from the impact of floods as water levels started receding in different mandals on Sunday. But, towns like Nandyal are still facing problem. Several localities in Nandyal town were totally inundated with floodwater of Kundu river and Chama Kaluva. Hundreds of families were shifted to safer places.

The district administration plunged into action and began evacuation of people to safer places and relief camps. Rescue operations and evacuation of people to relief camps continued till Saturday late night. Rescue operations continued on Sunday in the flood-hit areas in Nandyal.

As many as 20 stranded families were rescued by teams. Saraswathi Nagar in Nandyal was totally inundated due to the fury of River Kundu. Several residents of Saraswathi Nagar were evacuated on Saturday night and shifted to relief camps and still some families are stranded in the floodwaters.