As many as eight lakh farmers of Srikakulam district lost all their hopes with heavy heavy rain and floods causing damage to crops in two lakh acres.
There is little chance to save standing crops such as paddy, sugar cane, banana, coconut and other varieties with the rains causing havoc in the district. Almost all the mandals received around 25 cm rainfall till 8.30 am on Thursday
As many as 600 villages were marooned due to floods to Mahendratanaya, Bahuda rivers. It is estimated that around 1.2 lakh people were affected in Itchapuram, Kanchili, Kaviti, Mandasa, Sompeta and Vajrapukotturu mandals.
Train services hit
Rail and road network between AP and Odisha got disrupted as flood water flowing over the track in Itchapuram. Many trains were either delayed or cancelled. Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Itchapuram, Palasa and Srikakulam stations. East Coast Railway authorities are trying to restore tracks in many areas. The train movement will begin only after thorough inspection of the route.
Vehicular movement was disrupted with flood water flowing heavily on highways too. Following breach to causeway near Chapara, road network between Parlakimidi and Meliyaputti got disrupted. Life was thrown completely out of gear in Sompeta, Vajrapukotturu, and Kanchili areas as rain water entered houses.
The district administration tried to provide water and food packets to flood victims.
Collector Saurabh Gaur monitored the flood situation and asked all the special officers to be alert till normalcy was restored in the affected villages.
Review meet
He conducted a review meeting at the Collectorate and directed health teams to reach flood affected areas to check outbreak of prevent communicable diseases. The Collector declared holiday for schools and colleges in the district on Thursday.
Mr.Gaur said there was no human loss in the flood affected areas. However, the situation was grim in Jagannadhapuram, Patasasanam, Birlangi and Totavooru of Itchapuram mandal. The irrigation officials requested their counter parts in Odisha not to release water from Balagatti Dam since it would further inundate many areas of Itchapuram.
The situation was reportedly to be grim in Vajrapukotturu mandal as Bhimasamudram Gedda and Padmanabham Gedda are in spate. Mandasa-Haripuram villages were also badly affected.
Published - October 25, 2013 12:41 pm IST
