Following heavy rain, several residential areas in Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawada remained submerged on Monday, September 2 while authorities intensified rescue and relief operations. At least 15 people have died across the state and three people are missing in NTR district.
A total of 4,48,007 people have been affected. As many as 166 relief and medical camps have been set up to house around 31,238 people. Of the total people affected, nearly 3 lakh people are residents in NTR district. Thirty-nine rescue teams have been deployed (20 State Disaster Response Force and 19 National Disaster Response Force). Two helicopters have been deployed to aid the rescue operation. Around 80 boats have been deployed to evacuate people from rain-affected areas.
Urging the public not to panic, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said, “We are streamlining the system. 110 boats are currently working to supply food and provide medical assistance. I am regularly monitoring the flood situation and officials are actively working on the ground. Since last night, I have visited many flood-affected areas. We are setting up command and control centers in the flood-affected regions."
After Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu spoke to the Union Home Minister and Home Secretary over the phone on Saturday, additional NDRF teams with speed boats rushed to Vijayawada for rescue operations.
CM Naidu, who spent the night in Vijayawada to monitor the relief operations, visited the worst affected Ajit Singh Nagar area. He enquired if the affected people were supplied food and water in the morning. After a meeting with officials in the district collector’s office in Vijayawada early Monday morning, the Chief Minister left for a visit to a flooded area in a boat. This was his third visit since Sunday afternoon. He also went around the affected areas around midnight.
CM Naidu asked ministers Narayana, Kondapalli, and Kollu, who were accompanying him, to visit other affected areas. The Chief Minister asked officials to use function halls and other premises as relief camps. He directed officials to use hotels, if necessary, for the stay of the affected people.
Meanwhile, authorities have made arrangements to cook, pack, and supply food to one lakh people. Akshaya Patra Foundation was working with the government in preparing and supplying food.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spoke to Chandrababu Naidu over the phone on Sunday, promised all the help in tackling the flood situation.
Meanwhile, a second warning signal continued at Prakasam Barrage across the Krishna River. The barrage was receiving heavy inflows. Officials said 11.36 lakh cusecs of water were being released into the sea through 70 gates. The release of water from the barrage has created fears of flooding in the villages downstream.
(With inputs from IANS)