Heavy rains lashed East Godavari district for the fifth consecutive day on Friday hampering the civic life. Farmers were the worried lot as the standing crop in huge extent of farm fields was under water. Drains were overflowing and the vehicular traffic affected badly due to the incessant rains.
As per the official statistics, 53 villages in 33 mandals were affected very badly due to the rains and the standing crop of paddy was under water in 33,568 hectares by Friday morning. As many as 583 houses had been damaged.
Relief camps
Fifteen relief camps were opened in various parts of the district, where food and shelter were being provided to 2,757 evacuees. Corporate groups and service organisations had swung into action to provide relief to the victims of the incessant rains. The Rotary Club and the GMR group distributed rice, groceries and clothes to the victims on Friday.
Political leaders are visiting the low-lying areas and the relief camps. Minister Tota Narasimham asked the district officials to complete the enumeration process at the earliest, so that the relief from the government side could be handed over to the victims. He said that a review meeting would be convened on October 29 to assess the loss incurred to the district due to the rains and the steps to be taken up to help the victims at the earliest. Union Minister M.M. Pallam Raju would visit the district for two days from Saturday.
Prattipadu mandal registered the highest rainfall of 260.2 mm, while Maredumilli recorded the lowest rainfall of 9.4 mm during the day. In all, the district registered a total rainfall of 3,568 mm with an average rainfall of 59.5 mm on Friday.
345 houses damaged
Heavy rains for the last four days have damaged 345 houses in East Godavari district and 41 villages in 39 mandals were affected by heavy rains. Paddy and horticulture crops in 31,390 hectares are damaged in the district. Soil slipped in 200 metres of length on bund of Vasishta Godavari in Razole due to heavy rainfall . The two kilometres strip in this area has been identified as vulnerable four years ago and efforts were made to construct retaining wall two years ago and the work cannot be completed due to financial constraints. Superintending Engineer, Dowlaiswaram irrigation circle, D Kasi Visweswara Rao inspected the bund .
Published - October 26, 2013 11:28 am IST
