At least nine persons have lost their lives in Andhra Pradesh due to rain-related incidents since August 30. The continuous downpour, triggered by a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal, has severely disrupted life, especially in the coastal districts, with Vijayawada being particularly affected.
On the morning of August 31 in the Moghulrajapuram Colony of Vijayawada, a landslide at Sunnapubatti center resulted in the deaths of five people, including three women, identified as Meghana, Bollem Laxmi, Lalu, and Annapurna. Four others were rescued with injuries and were taken to a hospital, according to NTR district Collector G Srijana.
In another incident, a teacher and two students lost their lives when their car was washed away while crossing an overflowing stream in Pedakakani village, Guntur district. The victims were identified as Nadimpalli Raghavendra, (38) a mathematics teacher, and two students, Pasupuleti Soudi (6) and Koduri Manvith (9).
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has been in contact with officials regarding relief efforts and has assured support to the families of the deceased. The state government announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for each affected family. The Chief Minister also directed officials to evacuate people from landslide-prone areas to safer zones, as more heavy rains are expected over the next two to three days.
According to a weather bulletin from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Amaravati, Vijayawada received approximately 187 mm of rain over the past 24 hours. Vijayawada Municipal Corporation officials and police are on high alert, monitoring the situation to carry out rescue and relief operations where necessary.
The depression over the north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts, which has been causing heavy rainfall, has moved northwestward and crossed the coast near Kalingapatnam in southern Andhra Pradesh. Several districts, including Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram, Parvatipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Kakinada, and Nandyala, are likely to receive heavy rainfall.
To manage the ongoing situation, the Andhra Pradesh government has established a state-level control room for emergencies, coordinating with disaster and health agencies. For urgent medical assistance, people are advised to call the control room at +919032384168. A special team, led by Dr. Subrahmanyeswari +917386451239 and Dr. MV Padmaja +9183748935490, will handle emergency medical services at the control room until September 3.