Andhra: Rain claims 43 lives

Heavy rains over the last three days under the impact of a vigorous monsoon and low pressure in the Bay of Bengal have claimed 24 lives in Andhra Pradesh.

Another 19 persons were killed as lightning struck them in different parts of the state since the second week of September, taking the overall toll to 43.

"These deaths are not related to the rain toll but the government has also announced ex-gratia (compensation) of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of these victims also," Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao told newsmen on Wednesday.  

The revenue minister said that six districts have been badly affected due to the heavy rains in the last three days. "Due to active South West monsoon, coupled with low pressure area off coast of Machilipatnam, there has been widespread rainfall with heavy to very heavy falls since September 17 in the state. The badly-affected districts are Kurnool, Anantapur, Karimnagar, Warangal, Guntur and Prakasam."

There have been heavy inflows of flood water in six major reservoirs and rivers in southern AP, including Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam dams and Tungabhadra and Handri rivers and Somasila and Mylavaram dams.

The Tungabhadra river was in spate at Mantralayam in Kurnool district. Five tanks breached in Anantapur and two in Warangal district. Six minor irrigation sources were damaged in Karimnagar.

Under the influence of well-marked low-pressure area over West Central Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal AP, widespread rain is likely at most places in Rayalaseema and south coastal Andhra and many places over Telangana during the next 48 hours. Krishna district has been warned as the inflows of flood waters into Prakasam barrage are likely to be very high.

The death toll due to rains included 10 in Guntur, seven in Kurnool, four in Anantapur, two in Warangal and one in Mahbubnagar. The deaths due to thunderbolts include 10 in Karimnagar and six in Warangal.

The revenue minister said that the families of those who died due to rains and thunderbolt would be paid ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 under Apathbandhu group insurance scheme and another Rs 50,000 from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

In all, 48 villages in 27 mandals were affected by the rain havoc and 4,390 families were shifted to safer places and lodged in 29 relief camps in Kurnool, Anantapur, Warangal, Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar, Guntur and Prakasam districts. As per preliminary reports, 7,355 houses were marooned and crops over an area of 16,581 hectares were submerged.  

The state government has released Rs 25 lakh to Kurnool, Rs 10 lakh to Karimnagar, Rs five lakh each to Guntur, Warangal and Anantapur and Rs two lakh each to Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar and Kadapa districts for taking up immediate relief measures. Besides, an
amount of Rs 5 crore has been sanctioned for Roads and Buildings Department and Rs 10 lakh for Municipal Administration Department. The total amount released so far is Rs 5.66 crore. 

Control rooms have been opened in the district collectorates and the district collectors have been instructed to take necessary steps to avoid breach of tanks and rivulets.

Enumeration of crop damage and house collapses is in progress. 

"All the Collectors of the districts concerned have been alerted to be careful and monitor the situation very closely. Irrigation Department has been asked to monitor and plan outflows in consultation with the Disaster management Department and the District Collectors. Medical and Health Department has been asked to open health camps as per requirement and ensure that there is no outbreak of epidemics," the revenue minister said.