Amaravati: Severe cyclonic storm 'Vardah' spared Andhra Pradesh from any major destruction on Monday but heavy rains in Chittoor and SPS Nellore districts affected normal life under its influence even as official machinery continues to be on alert with forecast of heavy downpour in next 24 hours in at least four districts.
Over 9,400 people living along the Bay of Bengal coast in SPS Nellore district were evacuated to relief camps earlier in the day as 'Vardah' was set to make landfall between Sriharikota and Chennai. The severe cyclonic storm finally made a landfall near Chennai in evening.
As many as 18 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who strayed into the Bay of Bengal on Sunday despite warnings, were rescued near the Sriharikota high altitude range in afternoon.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced in evening that Andhra Pradesh was ready to extend all necessary help to neighbouring Tamil Nadu that bore the brunt of 'Vardah'.
He asked the state officials to speak to their Tamil Nadu counterparts and provide required assistance.
With forecast of heavy rains for the next 24 hours in Nellore, Chittoor, Prakasam and Anantapuramu districts, the official machinery has been asked to remain on alert, mostly to prevent breach of tanks.
Temple town Tirupati and Tirumala Hills received heavy rainfall as also Nellore town, paralysing normal life.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Executive Officer D Sambasiva Rao, who has been monitoring the situation, asked the temple staff to ensure pilgrims visiting the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara did not face any inconvenience.
He also put the TTD engineering and forest wings on alert to ensure traffic movement on the two ghat roads to Tirumala was not affected because of heavy rain.
Heavy rain, coupled with gale, disrupted power supply in seven mandals in Chittoor and Nellore districts as electricity poles were uprooted.
Sullurpeta town and 11 villages in the mandal suffered complete power outage even as the AP Southern Power
Distribution Company personnel swung into action to carry out restoration works on a war footing.
The CM held a teleconference with all officials concerned and directed them to ensure all repair works to the power systems were completed at the earliest.
An oil tanker overturned at Sullurpeta this afternoon because of heavy rain and wind, causing an oil spill and traffic disruption on the national highway.
By evening, however, the overturned tanker was removed and the road cleared.
Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana, who is camping in Nellore to oversee the rescue and relief operations, said in afternoon that Vakadu and Tada received
4.8 and 3 cms of rain respectively, since today morning.
"We have already moved over 9,400 persons in seven vulnerable mandals to safety. All necessary measures have been taken to ensure safety of people," he said.
