Heavy rainfall in Andhra Pradesh: People stranded, rescue operations underway; train services affected

Copious rains due to formation of low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal paralysed normal life in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh and affecting train services on Guntur-Nadikudi section that provides a crucial link to Secunderabad.

Several express and passenger trains between Guntur and Secunderabad had to be stopped at several places as flood waters flowed over railway tracks. The South Central Railway has set up helplines at various stations to provide updates on the situation.

The affected trains include Falaknuma, Palnadu, Amaravati Express and Macherla-Bhimavaram Passenger.

Rivulets in Guntur district are in spate, inundating housing colonies in Sattenapalli town and nearby villages.  Revenue officials have made arrangements to provide drinking water and food packets to the affected people.

Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, who represents Sattenapalli, is monitoring the rescue and relief operations in there and put the revenue and police officials on alert to help the affected people.

Most places in Guntur district like Nakarikallu, Sattenapalli, Narsaraopet, Muppalla, Medikonduru received 10 to 21 cm rainfall since yesterday.

Transport services were disrupted in Sattenapalli, Narsaraopet and Pidiguralla. Many villages in the Palnadu region remained cut off as rivulets caused flooding and disrupted transport services.

The APSRTC bus station in Machilipatnam was marooned following heavy rains, paralysing the services.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu spoke to Collectors of the rain-hit districts and directed them to undertake all precautionary and relief measures.

Krishna, Prakasam, East and West Godavari districts have also been receiving moderate to heavy rainfall under the influence of the low pressure area in Bay of Bengal.

The MeT department forecast the situation is expected to continue till Friday.