Rain creates havoc in Guntur, Palnadu districts

Guntur: Incessant rains during the last two days created havoc in Guntur and Palnadu districts.

A youth Boppudi Ramu (22) was reportedly washed away in Kuppaganjivagu floodwater at Kavuru village of Chilakaluripet mandal of Palndu district on Friday night. This incident came to light on Saturday.

Road connectivity was cut off between Amaravati and Vijayawada city due to overflowing of floodwater onto the road at Pedamaddur near Amaravati of Palandu district. As a result, bus services were diverted. Kondaveetivatu was filled to the brim and floodwater of the steam inundated the road at Pedaparimi. Heavy rain inundated cotton and chilli fields in thousands of acres in Krosuru, Achampet and Amaravati mandals of Palandu district and Tadikonda mandal of Guntur district. The farmers fear severe loss to cotton and chilli crops. However, the officials hoped that the rainwater will recede.

Following heavy inflows of floodwater into the Pulichintala project, the engineering officials of the project lifted 15 crest gates and released 4.07 lakh cusecs of the floodwater to the downstream. Guntur district administration alerted the revenue and police officials to take precautionary measures and instructed the people residing in low-lying areas in Thulluru, Mangalagiri, Kollipara and Duggirala mandals to be on the alert. Meanwhile, heavy rains during the last two days created havoc in Guntur city and normal life was thrown out of gear. Several low-lying areas A L Pet, Brodipet, Nagarampalem, Lakshmipuram, A T Agraharam, Kannavarithota, RTC Bus Stand area, GMC office area were under a sheet of one feet level rainwater. Rainwater entered into NTR Bus Station and GMC office premises in Guntur city caused inconvenience to the public and employees.

Women were seen weeding out rainwater with buckets in several areas. Drains were blocked in several areas the drain water overflowed on to the roads.

Rainwater entered Peekalavagu drain at A T Agraharam and inundated the road. An auto-rickshaw was stuck in the rainwater at Peekalavagu. However, no property loss was reported so far.

GMC Commissioner Kirthi Chekuri instructed the officials to alert the families residing beside the Peekavagu drain as it is overflowing following heavy rain. The sanitary workers were instructed to remove any blockages in the drain for the smooth flow of drain water.