Continuous and heavy rain in the city wreaked havoc in several low-lying areas. Ankle-deep to knee-deep water was stagnant on several important roads where the storm-water drainage system failed.
Several areas were covered by a sheet of water. Rainwater entered houses having low foundations in these areas. Krishna district received a total rainfall of 398.3 cm on Thursday, with Kalidindi mandal recording the highest rainfall of 18 cm. Vijayawada rural and urban mandals recorded rainfall of 7.44 cm. The mandals that received rainfall of more then 10 cm are Mandavalli 16.88 cm, Pamarru 16 cm, Challapalli 15.06 cm, Kruthivennu 14.78 cm, Movva 14.76 cm, Bantumilli 13.7 cm, Koduru and Mopidevi 13.42 cm, Mudinepalli 12.32 cm, Thotlavalluru 11.62 and Gudivada 11.3 cm.
Several areas in One Town were under a sheet of water with the drainage system failing to cope. The water-logging was more pronounced in Wynchipet and Nizamgate. Several residential areas on either side of Budamerru drain were waterlogged. The civic administration tried in vain to clear the water hyacinth that blocked the flow of water in Budemerru under the new bridge to New Rajarajeswaripeta. Several colonies in Payakapuram and Kandrika including Pipula Road, SC Bose Nagar and LB Sastry Nagar were under knee-deep water.
Ankle-deep to knee-deep water collected on the streets of several posh colonies on either side of the long Pantakalava Road. The low lying Vidyadharapuram RTC bus depot has also been converted into a sheet of water with knee-deep water at places.
Krishna in spate
River Krishna at Prakasam Barrage crossed the one lakh cusec mark touching 1.45 lakh cusecs towards the evening. The authorities said all the water flowing to the barrage was flood water from rivulets and streams that discharged into the river downstream Nagarjunasagar reservoir.
The authorities had to raise all the 70 crest gates of the barrage to release the surplus into the sea. The canals supplying irrigation and drinking water to thousands of areas in the Krishna delta were kept closed on account of the heavy rain.
Trains diverted
More trouble lies ahead for train passengers, with the South Central Railway diverting and cancelling a few trains in Bibinagar and Nadikude section on Saturday to avert any mishap likely to be caused by slippage of soil between Nalgonda and Tipparthi. Train no. 12806 Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Janmabhoomi Express has been partially cancelled between Secunderabad and Guntur on Saturday. Sabari, Visakha, Narayanadri, Narsapur and Chennai Express trains will run through the diverted route.
Kacheguda-Repalle-Kacheguda Delta fast passenger train will run via Dhone on Saturday. Train no. 12805 Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad Janmabhoomi Express was partially cancelled at Nadikude on Friday and the passengers were sent to their destinations by RTC buses.
Guntur hit
Heavy rains that lashed the district in the last four days have severely affected the normal life in Guntur district.
Many streams and rivulets were overflowing ,cutting road link to some hundreds of villages. Kondaveedu Vaagu which was in spate for the last two days was flowing on the bridge at Yendroye village cutting transportation between Guntur and Amaravathi mandal.
Crops in some thousands of acres were inundated in flood waters in Lemalle, Yendroye, Munagodu and other villages due to the flash floods.
APSRTC Guntur Regional Manager P.V. Rama Rao has said that bus services were not restored in 29 routes as canals were overflowing on the main roads.
