Rains claim 21 lives in four districts

Over one lakh people were affected by heavy rains in 1,148 villages in Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur, East Godavari, West Godavari, Srikakulam, Krishna and Chittoor districts where low-lying residential areas and vast stretches of crop were inundated.

Twenty one deaths have been reported from four districts, 13 of them in an accident in which a Tata Sumo got washed away in the swollen Malledavagu in Guntur district. Out of the remaining casualties, Prakasam accounted for five, Nellore two and West Godavari one. Besides, three persons are reported missing in Prakasam. Over 500 houses have been damaged.

Isolated heavy rains continued in these districts on Wednesday too, while the depression crossed the coast in the wee hours near Bapatla and weakened into a low pressure area.

As a result, the monsoon was vigorous over Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. Consequently, several places in the two regions received rains, with Ranasthalam recording 14 cm during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m., Cheepurupalli and Tekkali 13 cm each and Araku Valley12 cm.

There will not be any relief for Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Warangal districts on Thursday too as heavy rains are forecast by the Met Department. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who reviewed the situation with Disaster Management Commissioner T. Radha, was informed paddy and other crops over an extent of 5.34 lakh hectares and horticulture crops over 4,559 ha were damaged. Mr. Kiran will undertake an aerial survey of the rain-hit areas on Thursday after the weather permits.

The government is worried because the heavy crop damage may shatter its plan to get bumper crops and achieve 206 lakh tonnes of foodgrain production this year. In view of this, he asked Collectors to take immediate steps to protect wet paddy crop.

Mr. Radha said 13 districts received rainfall up to 88 mm on a single day on Wednesday. Relief camps were opened wherever necessary for those shifted from flood-prone areas.