People reeling under the impact of the sweltering summer heat heaved a sigh of relief as the depression in the Bay of Bengal brought moderate to heavy rain in parched Prakasam district on Wednesday.
“'The district administration is fully geared up to meet any eventuality,” said District Collector Sujata Sharma after reviewing the situation with district officials.
Special Collectors and other district officers have been deputed to the vulnerable places in the coastal mandals to rescue any stranded persons, she said.
A control room has been set up at the Collectorate. Those needing assistance can contact toll-free number 1077, she added.
Salt farmers hit
However, the unseasonal rain brought misery to salt farmers who were expecting heat wave condition to prevail till at least the first week of June for them to produce salt without hindrance.
It would be a truncated season for the salt producers with the unexpected rain diluting the salt content in the sprawling salt pans'', lamented K. Nancharlu Reddy, president of the Kothapatnam Salt Manufacturers Cooperative Society.
Meanwhile, the rain played spoilsport with the ongoing racing competition for Ongole bulls being held at Madiralapadu, disappointing the lovers of the rural sport. The dates for senior category events would be announced later, said the competition organiser G.Sai Babu after indefinitely postponing the leftover events.
Collector says those needing assistance can contact toll-free number 1077
