Heavy rains in Nallamala forest and hill ranges have flooded several mandals in and around Nandyal town in the district with about 200 people evacuated from low-lying areas and housed in rehabilitation centres.
Water was overflowing from four minor irrigation tanks inundating thousands of acres of standing crops and many villages.
The floodwater in Kundu river and Pangidi Vaagu and other smaller streams inundated several low-lying areas in Nandyal town, Bandi Atmakur mandal, Atmakur, Mahanandi, Kothapalli, Nandikotkur, Sirivella, Allagadda, and Rudravaram. There were no reports of human loss or property on Saturday. There was a forecast of moderate to heavy rainfall for the district for the next four days.
District Collector G. Veerapandian along with Superintendent of Police Fakeerappa Kaginelli and Nandyal Sub-Collector Kalpana Kumari visited the affected areas in Nandyal division and rescued several people in a layout on Mahanandia Road by requisitioning an earthmover and clearing the stagnant water by breaking a boundary wall.
They appealed to the people to move out of the low-lying areas and go to safe places if they have one or approach government officials, who had set up rehabilitation centres, where they would be taken care of.
Rescued
Meanwhile, three Forest Department watchers were rescued from Velugodu area after they were trapped in their area of duty due to flash floods in Pangidi Vaagu, said District Fire Officer Sreenivasa Reddy. The Fire Department personnel used lifebuoys and ropes to reach the trapped personnel.