Rain Kills 8, Leave Trail Of Destruction Across AP

Incessant rain caused by a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal claimed eight lives in different incidents and disrupted normal life across Andhra Pradesh over the past 48 hours.

Two women were killed of electric shock at Gollaveedhi in Nathavaram mandal of Anakapalli district. The deceased were Gompa Manga, 55, and Rongala Janaki, 28.

In Bapatla, a power line snapped and fell on the road following overnight rain. Mudraboyina Ramadevi, 52, and her son Venkateswarlu, 32, were on their way to their agricultural field on Thursday morning. Ramadevi accidentally stepped on the live wire and suffered an electric shock. Venkateswarlu rushed to save her but also suffered the same.

In Pedakallepalli of Krishna district, a woman, Samrajyam, 55, died after coming into contact with a snapped power line. In Kakinada district, eight-year-old Lakshminarayana died after a house wall collapsed due to heavy rains at Chinavalasa in Tallarevu mandal.

In Pedakatha village of Dattirajeru mandal in Vizianagaram district, two elderly persons, Samireddy Paradesamma, 65, and Nangireddy Lakshmunaidu, 63, died amid intense rain.

In Visakhapatnam, a retaining wall at LBS Nagar collapsed, following which five families comprising about 14 members were shifted to Dronamraju Kalyanamandapam nearby.

Heavy rain also inundated the cellar of an apartment complex at Kommadi in Madhurawada. Police launched a rescue operation and evacuated around 80 residents to safer locations.

Visakhapatnam collector Abhishik Kishore said 71 trees were uprooted in the city, of which 65 had been cleared. In ASR district, 71 kucha houses were damaged in the rains and overflowing streams disrupted road connectivity.

A car carrying PACS chairman and Telugu Desam Nunna president Kalakoti Srinivasa Reddy and his wife was swept away by floodwaters after the Pedda Vagu overflowed near China Kanchi in NTR district on the Vikas Group of Institutions-Nunna road on Thursday.

The couple escaped unhurt.

The coastline along RK Beach Road in Visakhapatnam suffered severe erosion, with the Coco Arena area also affected.

Heavy rain and adverse weather conditions disrupted flight operations, with several flights diverted to other airports and others reportedly cancelled. Passengers faced inconvenience due to the disruptions.

In the Visakhapatnam region, the RTC cancelled 170 bus services.

The government declared a holiday on Thursday for educational institutions in Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari and Eluru districts. Collectors of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Eluru also announced holidays for all district schools on Friday.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the weather situation and directed districts to remain alert as rain was expected to continue on Friday. He asked officials to restore road connectivity immediately where roads were affected by heavy water flow and alert residents in areas vulnerable to landslides.

IMD said more rain was likely as the deep depression over north coastal Andhra Pradesh moved northwestwards and lay centred over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha.