Heavy rain pounds the state, damage to crops

HYDERABAD: Three persons were was killed and crops in 87,896 hectares were badly affected as heavy rains lashed several parts of the state on Wednesday.

Coastal districts and Rayalaseema regions bore the brunt of the heavy downpour that led to submergence of low-lying areas in several towns and villages across the two regions and threw normal life out of gear.

Several rivulets were in spate in following the the heavy rains. Mandasa in Srikakulam district received 17 cm of rainfall, followed by Sompeta (15 cm), Ichapuram 15 (cm), Anakapalli (12cm), Prathipadu (12 cm), Kakinada (12 cm) -- all in the coastal districts.

Meanwhile heavy rainfall is expected at several places in Coastal Andhra and Telangana during the next 48 hours. District officials were alerted to evacuate people from low-lying areas.

Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the situation in Rayalaseema and south coastal Andhra including Hyderabad city with chief secretary PK Mohanty and other officials at his Camp Office on Wednesday.

The chief minister directed the officials to take necessary measures to cope with the situation arising out of the heavy rains.

Officials informed that an upper air cyclonic system would form over southwest Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours which may further develop into a 'low pressure' area and would move west northwestwards.

The well marked low pressure area lay over South West Bay of Bengal off North Tamil Nadu-South AP coast and caused heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of AP especially East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore, including Rayalaseema and Telangana on Tuesday and Wednesday.

As per IMD weather report, heavy rain is likely at a few places with very heavy rain at isolated places in all districts of coastal AP and Rayalaseema during the next 48 hours.

Heavy rain would occur at isolated places in Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Nalgonda, Khammam and Medak districts during the same period.

All the district collectors were directed to consider evacuation of people, if necessary, from the low-lying areas and accommodate them in flood relief camps and also to draw funds under TR-27.

Control rooms are established in (23451043) in all coastal districts. Special Officers appointed to all districts have been requested to coordinate with district administration and monitor the relief operations.