Nilam ravages coast

[1]

Thirteen people died in rain related incidents as Cyclone Nilam's sting in the tail continued to lash the state four days after it made its landfall on October 31.

The toll now stands at 22 dead. Besides, lakhs of hectares -one estimate said 2.5 lakh hectares of agricultural fields have been inundated and normal life affected all along the coast.

Over 60,000 people have taken shelter in relief camps. Rail tracks on the Vijayawada-Vizag route and the arterial national highway - National Highway 16 -came under water, stranding passengers at wayside stations and along the roads.

Railway and police officials had a tough time supplying them with food and water.

Godavari and Duronto Expresses to Vizag and the Falaknuma Express were among the stranded trains; several trains passing through the state were also detained. The maximum disruption was between Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam.

Reports late in the night said the water deposited by Cyclone Nilam had begun receding at many places.
The railways began running some of the trains that it had halted at wayside stations after the tracks came under water.

But the Cyclone Warning Centre at Visakhapatnam said that coastal Andhra would continue to receive rains over the next 24 hours, this time under the influence of a low pressure zone.

The coastal districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam, besides East and West Godavari districts, Krishna and Guntur received incessant rains in the past 48 hours. Narsapur in West Godavari meanwhile received the highest rainfall of 31.4 cm, followed by 26.5 in Amalapuram and 25.5 in Rajahmundry of East Godavari district. 2.5 lakh hectares of fields inundated Agricultural fields in over 2.5 lakh hectares inundated Cyclone Warning Centre says Coastal Andhra will continue to get more rainfall over next 24 hours Narsapur in West Godavari received 31.4 cm of rainfall Rail tracks on the Vijayawada-Vizag route and NH-16 submerged The South Central Railway either cancelled, diverted or rescheduled several express and passenger trains leaving thousands of commuters stranded. Some of these services were restored later at night after water began receding.

“A low pressure that has formed over the Bay of Bengal will bring heavy rains across coastal Andhra region whereas Rayalaseema and Telangana will receive moderate rainfall till Monday night,“ read a Met office statement.

According to disaster management commissioner Dr T. Radha, 67,819 people have been shifted to 86 relief camps set up in five districts. 16 tanks have been breached and 413.9 km of roads damaged.

While seven died in East Godavari, four each were killed in Khammam and Prakasam. Two people died in Srikakulam and one each in West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Anantapur.

CM N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was in New Delhi on Sunday, kept in touch with chief secretary Minnie Mathew through the day . He will be briefed in detail when he returns and is likely to visit East and West Godavari districts and Visakhapatnam on Monday .

In Visakhapatnam district, passengers on a Volvo bus had a narrow escape at Darlapudi bridge when the Varaha river overflowed.

“Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea in the next 48 hours as wind speed above 50 kmph is likely,“ the Met office warned.