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Several towns in Andhra Pradesh still under water
Crops in over 200,000 acres in the coastal region are inundated which is a big jolt to the farmers expecting a bumper harvest.
Several towns in coastal Andhra Pradesh remained under waist deep water and hundreds of villages were cut off as rains continued to lash the region for the fifth consecutive day.
Large areas in the port town of Machilipatnam, Vijayawada and Gudivada in Krishna district, Repalli and Narsapur in Guntur district, Ongole and Chirala in Prakasam district and Eluru in West Godavari district and some other towns were under water, with thousands waiting for relief.
The situation in Machilipatnam turned alarming on Wednesday after heavy rains again lashed it despite the deep depression weakening into trough. The town was cut off from the rest of the district. Train services between Machilipatnam and Gudivada town were suspended as the track got submerged.
Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who cancelled his aerial survey of the worst-hit Prakasam, Krishna and Guntur districts due to bad weather.
The incessant rains breached rivulets, tanks and irrigation ponds and caused widespread damage to houses and crops, threw normal life out of gear and disrupted electricity supply. Road and rail traffic to large parts of the region remained suspended for the fourth day.
According to officials, heavy rains and floods have claimed 12 lives in the last five days. Unofficial reports put the toll at 30. More than 50,000 people were evacuated to safer places and sent to relief camps. About 300 relief camps have been set up in Krishna and Praksam districts.
Crops in over 200,000 acres in the coastal region were inundated. This is a big jolt to the farmers, who were expecting a bumper harvest.
Officials said about 1,000 houses were either destroyed or partially damaged in the affected districts.
Meanwhile, heavy rains continued in south coastal Andhra and parts of Telangana under the impact of a trough. The weather office has forecast more rains.
This is the third time since August that coastal Andhra and parts of Telangana have been reeling under floods. In August and September heavy rains and floods claimed 150 lives besides causing widespread damage to crops and property.
