Take steps to avoid loss of life, property: Naidu to officials

The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday sounded an alert to the administration in all the coastal districts and parts of Rayalaseema over heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next three days following a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, which might turn into a cyclonic storm, officials said.

Following an alert from the Andhra Pradesh state disaster management agency (APSDMA), chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with all the district collectors and other officials concerned and directed them to take all precautions to avoid any loss of life and damage to properties due to heavy rains.

District collectors of Bapatla, Nellore, Prakasam, Chittoor and Tirupati declared holidays for schools till October 17 in view of the rain alert.

APSDMA managing director Ronanki Kurmanath said in a statement that a low-pressure area was formed on Monday morning over south-east Bay of Bengal, which likely to move west-north-westwards towards north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts in the next two days. Simultaneously, a cyclonic circulation will also be formed in the sea off south coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Under its influence, moderate to heavy rainfall was witnessed in parts of Bapatla, Prakasam, Nellore, Kurnool, and Nandyala districts in the morning. Similar weather conditions are likely in some parts of Nellore, YSR, Annamayya, Chittoor, and Tirupati districts in the next 24 hours, Kurmanath said.

Light to moderate rainfall is also expected in parts of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, Konaseema, West Godavari, Krishna and Palnadu districts. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in isolated areas on Wednesday and Thursday, he said, asking people to avoid streams, canals, roads, culverts and manholes that may overflow due to heavy rains.

During the teleconference, Naidu told the authorities to keep a watch on all tanks, streams and rivers, which might swell due to heavy rains in the next four days. He asked them to sound an alert for the people in the areas which might witness very heavy rains.

“Please send alerts on the mobile phones of the people well in advance. Focus on strengthening the bunds of all tanks and canals so as to avoid any breaches due to flash floods. Set up control rooms wherever necessary to see that the people are informed about the rainfall well in advance,” an official statement from the chief minister’s office, quoting Naidu, said.

State home and disaster management minister Vangalapudi Anitha said in a statement that she had been constantly monitoring the situation and alerting the officials from time to time. “We have already deputed state and national disaster response forces to vulnerable areas to take up rescue operations, if necessary. We are deploying drones to identify whether there are any breaches to any tanks or canals,” she added.

Some of the areas which received heavy rains on Monday are Ongole (Prakasam district) and Tada (Tirupati district) – 8cm each; Kandukur, Vinjamuru (both Nellore district) and Sullurupeta (Tirupati district) – 5cm each; Kavali (Nellore), Bapatla and Srikalahasti (Tirupati district) – 4cm each.