Hyderabad: Paddy, maize and turmeric got soaked in rainwater in Nizamabad, Kamareddy and Armoor areas. Lack of storage facilities and even tarpaulins at the marketyard damaged the paddy that is stored there in bags. In Akiveedu mandal, rains damaged paddy stored in the fields.
Farmers of Pedakapavaram, Chinakapavaram, Island Bhimavaram, Siddapuram and other areas are trying to move the paddy to safer places. Four people died due to the untimely rain in Prakasam district. District revenue officer G. Gangadhar Goud said K. Swarup Rani, 30, J. Anjamma, 48, and Venkata Rattappa, 38, died on the spot after being struck by lightning, and a fisherman, A. Ramanjaneyulu 50, died when his boat capsized in Bhavanasi pond.
Train movement was suspended for two hours at Vijayawada railway station in the morning on Saturday due to heavy rains. The rainwater flooded the tracks on the outskirts of the railway station.
The Route Relay Interlocking (RRI) system also jammed when rain water damaged the cable network. In Visakhapatnam there was no electricity from 12.30 am to 12.30 pm in many areas as electric poles toppled and there were other breakdowns. According to APTRANSCO officials, 69 feeders of 33 KV and 430 feeders of 11 KV were damaged and 17 poles of 33 KV and 191 poles of 11 KV toppled.
Vijayawada alone received about 8.7 cm of rain till late on Friday. The district received around 5 cm of rain on Friday and around 8.0 cm of rain early Saturday morning.
Governor E.S.L. Narashimhan has told the chief secretary to direct district collectors to assess the crop damage and loss due to unseasonal rain and to begin relief work. Government will pay Rs 1.5 lakh to the families of those who died.
