VIJAYAWADA, JULY 19 :  Incessant rains, under the influence of low pressure, created havoc in combined West Godavari, East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts of Andhra Pradesh on Friday.

Heavy rains threw normal life out of gear in Vijayawada, Eluru, Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam cities while huge crop loss was reported.

The Yerrakaluva drain in East Godavari district is receiving heavy flood. Several villages including Kamsalipalem, Ravimetla, Singavaram in Nidadavole mandal were inundated. Road connectivity to several villages in Nidadavole division was disrupted as flood water overflowed on roads.

Tourism Minister K Durgesh accompanied by Collector P Prashanthi visited some of the flood affected areas of East Godavari district today. The Minister assured the farmers of taking steps to extend financial help for the crop loss.

Collector Prashanthi directed the officials to shift the people living in low-lying areas to safer places.
The river Godavari is in spate following heavy rains in the upper catchment areas. Collector P Prashanthi saw the Godavari river flood situation at Dowleswaram barrage and ordered the officials to be alert in the next two days.

The Peddavagu stream breached at few places and the flood water inundated Kammarigudem, Allinagaram, Medepalli, Madhavaram, Ramavaram, Gullavai and Ongibanda villages. MLA Chirri Balaraju visited the flood affected villages and arranged food and water with his own money.

Official sources said that 269 MM rainfall was recorded in Eluru district. The highest rainfall was 269 MM recorded at Velerupadu mandal followed by 268 at Buttayagudem mandal and 178 MM at Kukkunuru mandal.

In Eluru district, Collector K Vetri Selvi and SP K Prathap Shiva Kishore visited the flood affected areas in Velerupadu mandal and reviewed the situation with the officials on Friday.

The Collector ordered the officials to shift pregnant women, children and elderly people to relief centres. The Collector and SP travelled on motorcycle to visit the flood affected villages.

Selvi directed the officials to enlighten the people to be alert that the Godavri flood water would rise in the next few days. DEO S Abraham declared a holiday to all educational institutions in Eluru and Jangareddygudem division on Friday in view of incessant rains.

In Visakhapatnam, all the main thoroughfares were inundated in two feet water throwing the normal life out of gear. Railway station road, Ramakrishna theatre road, Velama veedi, Poorna market area have been inundated in two to three feet water. The flood water was overflowing on the service road from R&B office to Birla centre. All the educational institutions was declared a holiday in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and ASR districts today in view of incessant rains.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a video conference with the district Collectors of 8 districts on Friday and reviewed the flood situation.

He directed them to take all precautionary measures to ensure that there would be no loss of life and property. Naidu said that due to indiscriminate sand and soil extractions from rivers and streams, the embankments have become weak and asked them to identify the weak bunds and take steps to strengthen them.(UNI)