ANANTAPUR/Kurnool: Anantapur city witnessed record rainfall of 10.4 cm since Sunday night, the highest recorded in eight decades.
“Though, it is our own house, we decided to shift to a rented house unable to bear losses. We are facing the problem for the second time in 10 days,” she said.
Last week, the city had experienced 8.7 cm rainfall. The decades old stone wall along the Nadimivanka was washed away in flash floods. The fear of a breach in Tungabhadra High Level Main Canal and other channels caused havoc among the people.
“Not only low lying areas or upstream colony, the entire city was hit by flash floods”, Anantapur Mayor M.Swaroopa who was leading rescue operations said. The AMC authorities were running about 20 shelters.
Collector Veerapandian said a command control centre was set up to function round the clock to handle the crisis. Meanwhile, Puliven-dula received 11.6 cm
The incessant rain inundated houses and shops alike across the two districts, not only in low-lying areas but also in areas at a higher elevation. Breaches were reported to several tanks, while canals overflowed. Rivers like Pennar, Mandavya, Sagileru, Kundu and Papagni experienced a sudden surge of water. The Kadapa-Bengaluru highway was submerged under water from the Mandavya river.
Traffic was diverted from ring road at Kadapa. Water entered the Kadapa APSRTC garage, which resulted in bus services being delayed.
Irrigation officials opened two gates of Annamayya project in Kadapa district. In Anantapur district, more than 30 irrigation tanks were filled up following the record rainfall. District collector Veerapandian said an estimated 12 tmc ft of water had been collected in water bodies.
A three-year-old, N.Sujitha, drowned in the Nadimidoddi channel in Narpala mandal in the district. Partial damage occurred ot hostel buildings of Sri Krishnadevaraya University.
The heavy downpour wreaked havoc on the Banaganapalle taluk and surrounding areas, already affected in incessant rainfall in previous days. Portions of Banaganapalle town, Palukur, Kolimigundla, Petnkota, Kalavatala, Gorvi, Munupalle, Nayunipalle, and Tummalapenta were inundated.
Banganapalle residents feard worse was to come. Last week, a major part of the town was inundated with water from a breach to the Srisailam Right Branch Canal.
The Jurreru stream is flowing with unprecedented amount of water, locals said. The Kukkalagunta tank which is usually dry had water standing at 20 feet. Water touched the 15-feet mark in the Daddanala tank where the full level is 25 feet. These two water bodies pose a threat to Banaganapalle if they overflow.
In Kolimigundla, water was flowing over the bridge, halting transportation between Tadpatri and Banaganapalle. The Nellore-Mumbai highway near Kalvatala was affected due to overflowing of rivulets.
