ANANTAPUR: Anantapur city was under a severe threat of flooding for the third consecutive day while 160mm rainfall on Thursday further raised the water levels in the canals. At least 15 localities were inundated and more than 1000 families shifted to rehabilitation centres.
Police and fire crews were pressed to service to shift the people stuck in the colonies following the rise in water levels at upstream irrigation tanks in Anantapur rural and Rapthadu mandals. Water was flowing at dangerous levels at the service road of NH 44 and PTC, Rangaswamy Nagar and GR Colonies.
Heavy floods cut road access to Singanamala and Tadipathri areas towards Anantapur. Even after the police restricted vehicles at BK Samudram, a driver in an inebriated condition drove a 16-wheel- truck into the floodwaters and fell into the floods. Police rescued the driver but registered a case.
Anantapur tahsildar Sridhar Murthy said the upstream tank of Katne Kalva was overflowing and water was entering Anantapur through Nadimivanka due to incessant rains since Wednesday. “The people living closer to the canal were shifted to rehabilitation centres and they are being providing food and shelter,” he said.
He said many people stuck in their houses were being shifted in tractors and JCBs following the flooding in many areas.
The tanks in upstream areas were overflowing with the Krishna waters. The incessant rainfall caused floodwaters to flow towards Anantapur, inundating residential colonies for the past three days.
A CRPF jawan and his family were shifted in a JCB bucket after they were stuck in the house in Nadimivanka area, by rescue teams. Fire services team shifted at least 60 persons from Rajak Colony on Thursday from houses in the affected areas.
Chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, after a review of the situation, announced a relief of Rs 2,000 per affected along with free supply of groceries.
Minister Ushasri Charan distributed the financial assistance for the flood-hit families at the rehabilitation centre. The official machinery would assess the loss immediately after the rains stopped, he said.
Municipal administration and urban development minister Adimulapu Suresh inquired about the floods in some wards of Anantapur municipality. He interacted with the municipal commissioner and the CDMA on the phone and collected the information.
Suresh advised the officials to continue the relief works, ensure that all is fine at the rehabilitation centers and properly feed the victims. He asked the authorities to ensure that there was no trouble to the public and provide all required relief to the flood victims.
Fire services district official Srinvasulu said additional forces from neighboring districts were requisitioned for rescue operations following the panic situation in many affected colonies.
Youth organisations were involved in the rescue operations and supplying food and water to the flood victims in Anantapur.
In addition, Rayadurgam town witnessed inundation of some colonies. A gas agency office was badly damaged.
Heavy rains hit Hindupur and Madakasira of Satya Sai districts. Traffic was disrupted at Kotnur tank bund due to overflowing of the floodwater in Hindupur. At least 50 big tanks were in spate due to overflowing of water in Anantapur and Satya Sai districts alone.
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