At least 35 houses collapsed after seawater entered Sooradapeta, a habitation on the Uppada coast near Kakinada city in East Godavari district on Wednesday. However, no casualty has been reported. The sea had turned rough since Tuesday under the influence of Cyclone Amphan. .
The revenue and police authorities had evacuated about 400 persons, all of them fisherfolk, till reports last came in. They were accommodated in four government schools in Uppada panchayat.
According to the preliminary report prepared by the Fisheries Department, several houses were partially damaged and could collapse any moment.
Fisheries Development Officer, Uppada, Ch. Umamaheswara Rao told The Hindu that the damage was being enumerated. “People living next to the geo-tube, erected to prevent sea erosion in recent years, are being persuaded to shift to relief camps,” he added.
Rehabilitation plan
“We are carrying out a detailed study to determine the number of families living on the shoreline of Uppada to provide them permanent housing facility far from the shore. Directives in this regard have been issued by Collector D. Muralidhar Reddy and Pithapuram MLA P. Dorababu, ” said Kakinada Revenue Divisional Officer G. Chinni Krishna.
Many fisherfolk families on the shoreline have earlier been provided house sites near Uppada but they are reluctant to relocate. Mr. Dorababu accompanied by revenue officials inspected the Uppada coast.
Meanwhile, village elders led by Surada Nageswara Rao expressed fear that their habitations would be severely damaged if the cyclonic weather continued.
