There is widespread fear as some cracks have developed in the bunds around Rayala Cheruvu, one of the oldest and biggest reservoirs in Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday, 21 November.
The death toll due to heavy rains in the state increased to at least 25 on Sunday, with over 50 missing as raging floods continued to wreak havoc in more than 1,316 villages in the state.
Heavy rains lashed Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa, and Anantapur districts on 19 November under the influence of a depression which crossed north Tamil Nadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts in the early hours of Friday.
Water Leaks from Cracks in Andhra’s Biggest Reservoir
Heavy rains continued to lash across the temple town of Tirupati on Sunday as several residential areas remained inundated.
Public warnings have been issued asking people to evacuate from low-lying areas near the reservoir as the bund has been found to be "in danger of breaking."
Water had gushed from the Tirumala Hills leading to the overflowing of the Swarnamukhi river, that resulted in the flooding of the ghat road and walkways. Seven people have died in the district due to flooding or electrocution.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which manages operations of the Tirumala Venkateswara temple, has suffered damages of over Rs 4 crore our to the rains. While ghat roads leading to Tirumala have reopened for traffics, pilgrimage routes have remained closed.
Hundreds Stranded as Road & Rail Services Halted
All main roads and rail routes in Andhra Pradesh have been cut off, with at least 17 express trains cancelled on the Chennai-Vijaywada grant trunk route.
With bus and train services suspended, hundreds of passengers were stranded in Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa, and Anantapur districts.
According to the South Central Railway (SCR), the trains were cancelled due to heavy inflow of water between Nellore-Padugupadu section of Vijayawada Division and Razampet-Nandalur of Guntakal Division.
The cancelled trains include Visakhapatnam-Kadapa, Tirupati-Hazrat Nizamuddin, Chennai Central-CST Mumbai, Tirupati-Nizamabad, Chittoor-Kacheguda, Chennai Central-LTT Mumbai, Tirupati-Kolhapur, Gudur-Secunderabad, Vijayawada-Chennai Central, Kakinada Town-Tirupati, Adilabad- H. S. Nanded, Lingampalli-Tirupati, Hyderabad-Tambaram, Hyderabad-Chennai Central, Secunderabad-Gudur, Secunderabad-Tirupati, and Tirupati-Adilabad.
Vehicles from Tirupati to Srikalhasti were diverted at Tottembedu, leading to a huge traffic jam on the national highway.
The Chennai-Kolkata National Highway-16 has also been closed for traffic.
Search and Rescue Operations
The Indian Air Force, NDRF, SDRF, police and fire services have been deployed in the state to rescue and evacuate people.
Over 20,000 people have been evacuated and shifted to relief camps in the state. The report adds that at least 64 persons, inducing a police officer have been rescued from floods inundated districts of Anantapuramu, Kadapa, and Chittoor.
At least 12 people were killed and 18 others went missing after three buses of Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) were stuck in floods triggered by heavy rains in the Kadapa district on Friday.
Rescue workers pulled out 12 bodies and were searching for the missing people in Rajampet area. The buses were stuck in flood waters in Mandpalle, Akepadu, and Nandaluru villages. The passengers along with drivers and conductors had climbed on the top of the buses. While some were rescued by the local residents, 30 people were feared washed away.
Annamayya reservoir in the district breached, leading to floods in surrounding villages of Gundluru, Seshamambapuram and Mandpalle. An overflowing stream also inundated Nandulur, Rajampeta, and other areas.
The state government has set up 230 relief camps ad residents who were moved to these camps were given Rs 1,000 per person and Rs 2,000 for each family.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force evacuated ten people stuck in flood waters of Chitravati river in Ananthapur district on 19 November.
Three Women, Three Children Die in Building Collapse
In Kadiri town of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh, three women and three children were killed when an under-construction building fell on two adjoining houses on 19 November, reported The News Minute.
The walls of the under-construction building, collapsed due to incessant rains. The fall triggered an LPG cylinder blast, adding more damage and trapping at least 15 people under the rubble. Media reports suggested that nine persons were rescued by 20 November, with many suffering serious injuries.
32,000 Hectares of Land Damaged
According to an Indian Express report, over 32,000 hectares of agriculture and horticulture land has been damaged, with more rains predicted to occur over the south costal Andra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions.
Citing the State Disaster Management Authority, NDTV reported that more than two lakh cusecs of floodwater flooded out of the Somasila reservoir in SPS Nellore district.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas of the state on Saturday morning.
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