Nellore: After Chennai it was the turn of Nellore city to bear the brunt of heavy rain on Wednesday. The non-stop downpour from Tuesday turned the city to a pool. It recorded 12.4 cm rainfall during last 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Wednesday.
All low-lying areas were under a sheet of water and water entered hundreds of houses holds. Low-lying areas such as Mansoor Nagar and Khuddus Nagar, Parameswara Nagar, Sivagiri Colony,Vengalraonagar were under neck deep water and people are starving as water entered the houses.
Besides rain, water released from Nellore tank because of heavy inflows contributed to the water logging in the city.
Pogathota, Brindavanam, Achari Street, Fathekhanpeta ,Mulumudi Bus Stand, Trunk Road and Pedda Bazar located in the heart of the town were flooded with rainwater.
The railway under bridges connecting western parts of Nellore city with its eastern parts at Atmakur bus stand, Vijaya mahal gate, Ramalingapuram and Magunta layout have turned into ponds with storm water causing innumerable problems to pedestrians and vehicular movement.
With all under bridges becoming inaccessible, motorists are forced to depend on railway gates at Kondayapalem, Vijaya Mahal and Ranganayakulapeta and wait for long duration to go to the other side of the city.
With storm water flowing, even arterial roads appeared like canals. Entire premises of the welfare hostels at Kondayapalem gate are under water causing hardships to the inmates. The BSNL office near Leela Mahal is also inundated. Water entered into the sanctum sanctorum of the popular Anjaneya Swamy Temple at Rayaji Street. The temple is under four-feet of water.
Although the official machinery ignored their plight, people staying in the nearby colonies offered food packets to the victims living in marooned colonies and the latter urged them to provide water packets.
At the instance of Nellore city legislator Dr Anilkumar Yadav, a local TV channel (ACT) offered assistance to provide 5,000 food packets. The legislator lambasted the officials for their failure to plan beforehand while reminding they that were are aware of the cyclone threat to the district one week back.
Roadways badly hit in Andhra Pradesh
Transportation continued to be badly hit in AP on Wednesday with vehicles stuck on roads and people stranded in railway and bus stations including Ayyappa devotees. There were 40 women devotees who were forced to sleep in the buses after eating in Ayyappa temple.
RTC could not operate any services from Vakadu, Gudur and Rapur depots. Suspension of services had caused losses to the extent of Rs 1 crore till Tuesday and Rs 50 lakh on Wednesday.
Regional manager of RTC Maheswara said that they had operated only 35 per cent of the services as many routes were inundated. With vehicular movement coming to a halt due to breaches in the NH, prices of vegetables and flowers have skyrocketed as the city depends on Chennai and Bengaluru.
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