Rains batter AP, Odisha as deep depression crosses coast near Kakinada

Normal life was hit in parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on Tuesday due to incessant rain after a deep depression in Bay of Bengal crossed the coast in Kakinada, leaving a trail of destruction in the southern state. While Andhra Pradesh reported loss of lives and property, in Odisha, which faces the nature's fury in October due to the formation of cyclones, normal life was disrupted in Gajapati, with one of the blocks in the district receiving 142 mm of rainfall since Monday night.

The deep depression that crossed the coast close to Kakinada in East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh left a trail of devastation, even as five persons died in various rain-related incidents in the state. In Odisha's worst-affected Gajapati, authorities have started shifting people from vulnerable areas.

The deep depression crossed the coast between 6.30 AM and 7.30 AM on Tuesday. Five persons were killed in different rain-related incidents in Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and Krishna districts, an official release in Amaravati said.

The dead included victims of wall collapse and drowning. Rainfall ranging from 11.5 cm to 24 cm was recorded in more than 100 places in the state, primarily in East Godavari, West Godavari, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and Krishna districts.

The ghat road of Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy temple in Vijayawada witnessed landslip as boulders from the Indrakeeladri hill came crashing down but none was injured. In Visakhapatnam district, more than 350 houses were inundated and nearly 4,000 persons were evacuated to safety.

The district administration opened seven relief camps for the affected people. Over 160 km of roads suffered damage.

In East Godavari district, three relief camps were opened where 978 persons from 90 families were sheltered. A cargo vessel from Bangladesh which lay anchored in the sea, was swept close to the Tenneti Park beach in Visakhapatnam city due to heavy winds.

Visakhapatnam Marine Police said the ship's anchor got snapped because of which it was swept ashore but the crew has been rescued. Boats of fishermen were swept ashore in the storm but no casualties were reported.

At the Kakinada Inner Anchorage Port, loading and unloading operations were stopped and the cargo barges were brought back to the commercial canal. A total of 13 ships were asked to shift to outer anchorage for safety purposes. While roads in Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and Krishna district remained battered, the power distribution network also suffered damage, official sources said.

Eastern Power Distribution Company Superintending Engineer A V Suryaprakash said 33 kv and 11 kv power substations suffered damage in more than 50 places. "But we have taken up repairs and restored power supply in most of the places," he said.

Hundreds of acres of agriculture and horticulture crops in the two Godavari districts were inundated due to the deluge. Agriculture Minister K Kanna Babu said the extent of the damage was being estimated and that the government would ensure farmers did not suffer any loss.

The downpour also left hundreds of houses in many districts flooded. Tallarevu in East Godavari recorded the highest rainfall of 24.3 cm, followed by Rayavaram 22.7 cm, Ramachandrapuram 20.6 cm, Akiveedu in West Godavari 20.2 cm, and Mandasa in Srikakulam 17 cm, the Met office said.

Small rivers like Tandava, Sarada, Gostani, several rivulets and streams in these districts were overflowing due to the unabated rainfall for the last two days, sources in the State Disaster Management Authority said. The reservoirs in East Godavari, Visakhapatnam and West Godavari districts were filled to the brim, thanks to the rain.

In Odisha, southern districts such as Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri witnessed downpour since Monday night, the Meteorological Centre said. Rains in state capital Bhubaneswar and neighbouring Cuttack led to waterlogging oflow-lying areas, disrupting normal life and vehicular movement.

Normal life was severely hit in several parts of Gajapati district following heavy rain since Monday night with its Mohana block bearing the brunt of rain fury. The block recorded around 142 mm rainfall in the 24 hours till 9 am on Tuesday. Five panchayats in the block were cut off from the rest of the district as water was flowing over a bridge, official sources said.

Around 500 people from 12 villages in four blocks of Gajapati district were shifted from vulnerable areas to cyclone shelters as a precautionary measure, an official said. Apprehending landslides due to the downpour, the authorities made arrangements to evacuate many other people from hilly areas of these blocks, he said, adding polythene sheets were given to people in some areas, as their houses were damaged in the rain.

As sea conditions were rough along and off Odisha coast and squally weather prevailed in the region, fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea before Wednesday.