Brushing aside the Opposition's criticism that the state government has failed to provide necessary relief to flood-affected people, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy on Tuesday asserted that the government has taken up large-scale relief, rescue and restoration operations in all the affected areas with assistance from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force.

Six IAF helicopters and 10 naval boats were deployed to provide timely relief, he pointed out.

Speaking to newsmen before setting out on an aerial survey of Adilabad and Nizamabad districts in interior Telangana region to assess the damage caused by the floods, he said that despite some lapses, the administration has done its best in rescuing people in distress.

He said that the people who were stranded on rooftops in the marooned villages in East Godavari, West Godavari, Khammam and other parts of the state could not get food packets dropped by helicopters since some of these fell into the flood waters. Officials were instructed to give top priority to rescuing stranded people.

"Nobody expected such flooding in the state," he added.

He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh [Images] for providing the assistance of the defence forces to reach out to people affected by the floods.

Referring to the flood situation, Dr. Reddy said that the water levels in Godavari river were receding gradually. Besides, there was decrease in inflows since no rains were reported in the adjoining areas of neighbouring states.

As per official reports, more than five lakh people were evacuated from 5,680 flood-hit villages, particularly in East Godavari, West Godavari, Khammam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam [Images] districts.

Crops over an area of nine lakh acres were affected due to inundation. Initial reports indicated that 15,457 houses were badly damaged and another 55,200 houses were partially damaged in these districts.