With the heavy rains continuing to lash Kurnool district, flash floods have thrown the normal life out of gear in several mandals, especially those in the Nandyal division.
Allagadda mandal received 178 mm of rain on Tuesday alone. The mandal has received 388.4 mm of precipitation in September thus far when compared to the average of 114.7 mm, recording a whopping excess of 239%. Mahanandi recorded 162.8 mm rains, followed by Rudaravaram (130.2 mm), Dornipadu (120.6 mm) and Sirivella (113.4 mm). All these mandals have recorded an 150% excess rainfall than the average, except for Dornipadu which has recorded 99% excess precipitation.
“The heavy downpour has rivers, streams and tanks overflowing, triggering flash floods in nine mandals of Nandyal, Allagadda, Mahanandi, Chagalamarri, Rudravaram, Sirivella, Gospadu, Dornipadu, and Koilakuntla,” said Irrigation Department Executive Engineer E. Balachandra Reddy.
On Tuesday, water entered the Mahanandi temple. According to local residents, both the tanks on the temple premises overflowed. “There are four-foot-deep water inside the temple. The temple office has been flooded,” said a resident.
Meanwhile, train services were disrupted on the Guntur-Guntakal route as the tracks between Gajulapalle and Diguvamatta in Mahanandi mandal were under sheet of water.
Relief works under way
In the absence of trains, passengers were put to inconvenience.
Kurnool SP Fakeerappa Kaginelli, who visited the flood-hit mandal, told The Hindu that the water were being drained and the normalcy would return soon if the rain stopped.However, the meteorology forecast suggested that the rain would continue for the next two days. The authorities also issued advisory to people.
With the flash flood damaging several roads, Joint Collector P. Ravi on Tuesday morning asked to officials of Roads and Buildings Department, NHAI, and APSRTC to initiate the necessary measures and start road repair works on a war footing.
Collector G. Veerapandian, who was on leave, returned to the district headquarters and conducted a review meeting with all the authorities concerned. He issued orders to all the departments to intensify the relief operations.
Helpline set up
Meanwhile, the irrigation officials are keeping a close watch on the tanks and taking precautionary measures to prevent breaches.
The district authorities asked the people not to venture out during the floods. The officials also set up a helpline (08518 277305) for relief operations.
