Bridge, railway track, highway damaged in AP flash floods; normal life disrupted

A railway track between Nellore Padugupadu stations on the Chennai-Vijayawada section was badly damaged. The authorities canceled train services on the route. Two of the three railway tracks were hanging as the bunds under the track were washed away.

A bridge across the Papagni river near Kamalapuram town in Kadapa district collapsed for about 50 meters. The bridge caved in due to a flash flood in the river. The bridge was constructed about 44 years ago, officials told the media.

Vehicular traffic on Tadipatri-Kadapa was diverted through another route after about 50 meters of the road at Rajupalem in Kadapa district was badly damaged.

Railway passengers alleged that they were left in the middle of the journey and had to walk several kilometers to reach a nearby town. In Kadapa, over 900 passengers were stranded in the railway station as the officials canceled train services abruptly following breaches to railway tracks at various places.

The Tungabhadra, Penna, Sunkesula, and the Somasila rivers are in spate with heavy inflows.

Flood victims face an ordeal

Meanwhile, flood victims are facing an ordeal as they have lost everything due to the flash floods in the Cheyyur rivulet of Kheda district. Talking to the media, G. Kondaiah, a farmer of Nilipalli which is one of the villages which bore the brunt, said they had lost their Aadhar cards, ration cards, and all property as they left their homes to save their lives. Many houses in the village are either fully or partially collapsed. Neck-deep water suddenly gushed into our villages, he said.

"No official has visited our village so far. Neither food nor water was offered to us. We are starving in the village. All livestock and property was washed away in the flash flood," Kondaiah lamented, adding that some voluntary organizations were providing them with some food and water.

The situation is the same at Thogurupet village in Rajupalem mandal. The village tasted the fury of the Cheyyuru flood. Collapsed houses, uprooted trees, and electrical poles were seen in the village which stood testimony to the fury of nature.

NH-16 was badly damaged near Kovur in Nellore district due to the flooding of Penna river. The Chennai- Kolkata road was damaged for about 200 meters. Vehicular traffic on busy Vijayawada-Nellore was disrupted and vehicles were stranded for about 5 km on either side of the road. The police stopped the vehicles on the Tirupati-Srikalahasti highway at Thottambedu check-post and diverted the traffic via Kadapa, Pamuru, and Darsi.

The Andhra Pradesh government has confirmed 24 deaths due to incessant rains and floods in four districts of the state. An official release on Saturday night said that 17 people were still missing. The rains and floods have badly affected 172 mandals in the districts of Chittoor, Nellore, Kadapa, and Anantapur. The rains and floods damaged paddy crops in 23,345 hectares and horticulture crops in 19,644 hectares.

Meanwhile, the state government has announced Rs. 7 crore as immediate assistance to the four affected districts and Rs. 2,000 financial assistance to those who were taking shelter in the relief camps.