Andhra floods: Crops on 1.8L hectares damaged, 2L farmers affected; Army to plug Budameru breaches

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said Army teams are being roped in to plug the Budameru rivulet breaches to control the flood situation in Vijayawada.

Addressing a press conference at the NTR district collectorate in Vijayawada, accompanied by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Naidu said, “Today, the Army is also coming to close the breach...We are putting in all efforts we need to do,"

According to the CM, a technical team has arrived to analyze the situation, following unprecedented rains and floods in the centrally located commercial city. Union Minister Chouhan is on a two-day visit to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to assess the flood situation.

Naidu noted that the deluge had ravaged all the houses, destroying vehicles, household appliances, and many other things. He also said that there is a need to raise the capacity of Prakasam Barrage to discharge up to 15 lakh cusecs of floodwaters, noting that it can withstand only up to 11.9 lakh cusecs.

Illegal mining occurred in Budameru:

Union Minister Chouhan said that the situation is bad in the flood-hit areas. He said he had never seen such a situation before. He said 400 mm of rainfall at one time is a major catastrophe, but appreciated the efforts being put in by the chief minister and the government machinery.

"Floods in Andhra Pradesh damaged crops in 1.8 lakh hectares (ha), and 2 lakh farmers have been impacted as per initial estimate. But I appreciate the efforts of CM Chandrababu Naidu and his team who are working tirelessly. Home Minister Amit Shah has sent a team to Andhra Pradesh, to study how water discharged can be increased from 70-year-old Prakasam Barrage," said Chouhan.

He appreciated that drones are being used to deliver food in the affected areas, and said that the Army is expected to come soon to plug Budameru breaches.

"Works to study the extent of damage have already started, and NDRF teams and Agriculture Department officials are evaluating the damage. After completing the damage assessment work, the central government will provide all possible support. We will also look into long-term plans to avoid such breach in the Budameru," said Chouhan.

Chouhan alleged that illegal mining had occurred near Budameru during the previous YSRCP government. He claimed that it also contributed to the disaster. He also said that the Central government would extend all the required support to the southern state. Chouhan earlier in the day conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas in Vijayawada. He also visited Prakasam Barrage, where three large boats recently struck the barrage, damaging a concrete beam.

Accompanied by Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh, Chouhan surveyed Jakkampudi Milk Factory, Kandriga, Ajit Singh Nagar, Ambapuram, and other flooded areas in a helicopter.