Rain lashed a few areas of Tirupati on Monday even as officials of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) denied reports that the 'darshan' of Lord Venkateswara atop Tirumala was closed.
"The darshan is open and we're still getting a thin stream of pilgrims despite the rain. Everything is going smooth and we are assisting pilgrims in every way we can. While there is a lot of water and tanks are overflowing, it is not a flood-like situation," a TTD official told The News Minute, dispelling rumours and photographs that showed a submerged temple.
(A street in Tirupati)
Many streets in Tirumala are knee-deep in water and the TTD has closed down the second ghat road and the pedestrian pathways as a precautionary measure.
Fresh landslides occurred on the second ghat road on Sunday as a few boulders rolled down the hill and broke a few trees in its path, due to which the traffic was disrupted for a few hours.
(Authorities clear the debris fallen on the ghat road)
The TTD has also appealed to devotees not to bring children and elderly to the temple till the weather gets better.
(Pilgrims stranded at the checkpost)
A report in The Hindu adds that water entered the houses of people residing in low-lying areas and also the Govindarajaswamy second choulty, causing inconvenience to the devotees who had to be shifted to rehabilitation centres.
The waterfall at Sri Kapileswara Swamy temple was also overflowing as the rain water from the top of Tirumala moved downhill.
The Metereological Department has predicted that showers would continue but are likely to decrease at the hill shrine but increase in the other areas of Chittoor, Nellore and Kadapa.