Three people who were stuck in their agricultural fields due to flooding in Andhra Pradesh were rescued by the National Disaster Management Force (NDRF) and local police in Magallu in Krishna district on Sunday. Locals had informed the police about 45-year-old P Nagaraju, his son P Bhanu and 12-year-old Shyam, his nephew, who had gone to their field but got stranded as the Munneru river overflowed due to incessant rains in Warangal and Khammam districts in neighbouring Telangana.
Munneru is a tributary of river Krishna. It originates in Warangal and flows through Khammam of Telangana and Krishna district of Andhra. According to reports, Nagaraju decided to pick up his vegetables, before flood waters would ruin his crop. However, even before the three of them started picking up the vegetables, the flood had hit the fields and blocked their way out.
Immediately after learning about the incident, Nandigama police alerted NDRF teams and the revenue department to save the trio. Speaking to TNM, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Ramana Murthy said, “The three of them didn't foresee the danger. They thought they could go and come back. The incessant rains in Warangal and Khammam in Telangana had triggered floods along Munneru. Soon, NDRF teams were roped in and with the assistance of local police, they were saved.”
DySP further added, “The flood has now receded and everything is normal. No casualties have been reported.”
NDRF teams have used boats and other rescue gear to save the three people, who were later given first aid treatment at a hospital in Nandigama.
Meanwhile, officials have released water from Praksam barrage in Vijayawada by opening 70 gates as incessant rains in the upstream area of the Krishna river have resulted in heavy inflows. The current inflow into Prakasam barrage is 1.45 lakh cusecs against the outflow of 1.30 lakh cusecs.
Officials said that the flood is receding in tributary water bodies such as Munneru, Wyra, Katteru, Vipla vagu and others. On the other hand, Dowleswaram barrage is witnessing an inflow and outflow of around 18,000 lakh cusecs.
Asking people along the river Godavari to be alert and cooperate with NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Commissioner said that there was possibility to issue further warnings if the heavy rainfall continued.