A depression over the Bay of Bengal has resulted in heavy rains across Andhra Pradesh, leading to several casualties in as many as four districts--Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari and Krishna. Several water bodies as well as the Krishna, Godavari rivers have seen heavy floods with increased inflow in the upper catchment areas. According to the state government, 439 mandals in the state received excess rainfall while 189 received normal rainfall and 42 witnessed deficit rainfall.
Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has reviewed the situation in the state and directed the officials of the affected districts to set up necessary measures to prevent casualties.
In Visakhapatnam three fatalities were reported due to collapse of a wall and drowning and as many as 350 houses were inundated in low lying areas across 40 villages in 10 mandals. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) evacuated 900 people in the district and shifted to seven relief camps where food and medical services were being provided. At least 42 hectares of crops and 6.2 ha of horticulture crops were estimated to have been damaged due to the rains.
In East Godavari, another worst affected district, one woman died as a wall collapsed in Rajahmundry. According to officials three canals were damaged and there is breach of bunds along the Yeleru canal of Godavari. As many as six mandals 11 villages including eight municipal divisions.
Over 3700 persons were evacuated and sheltered in five relief camps; one NDRF and one SDRF team were positioned as the disposal of rescue operations. Around 156 houses were fully damaged while 182 were partially hit by the rains. As the flood from Godavari and other canals grew, the transportation between Kakinad and Uppada was disturbed for a while.
In West Godavari across 12 mandals as many as 21 habitations were affected due to heavy rains at least 260 people were evacuated and shifted to 04 relief camps, with no loss of life 61 houses were damaged 4690 hectares of agriculture and horticulture crops were damaged. Two NDRF and SDRF teams were placed for the rescue operations in the district.
BBC News Telugu reported that many parts of Eluru town, the headquarters of West Godavari district, was inundated, along with other towns in the district like Nidadavole and Tanuku.
Certain parts in the district have witnessed damage to electricity lines.
Yanam district in Puducherry, bordering East Godavari, also received heavy rains.
In Krishna district as many as 26 villages in 24 mandals were affected due to severe rainfall , officials have set up 1 relief camp in which around 100 people were sheltered. In the district's Vijayawada 1 death was reported from Vidyadharapuram locality. Heavy rain and flooding has destroyed 9869 Ha of standing crops including paddy, cotton, black gram while 1059 Ha of horticulture crops were damaged .
In Guntur district which was less affected compared to other four districts two casualties have been reported from Gurazala and Amaravati where two persons were drowned.
Following the review meeting district officials were directed to ensure implementation of standard operating procedure (SOP). The authorities have ordered to equip search and rescue teams in all the vulnerable mandals.