Central team in flood-hit Andhra Pradesh to assess damages

Amaravati, Sep 11 (IANS) The Inter-Ministerial Central Team on Wednesday began a visit to flood-affected districts of Andhra Pradesh to assess damages.

The team began its visit with a meeting with the officials of various departments at the office of Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority at Tadepalli in the Guntur district.

Officials of various departments made a PowerPoint presentation to explain the damages caused by heavy rains and floods in seven districts.

They said that the heavy rains and floods impacted the NTR, Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Eluru, and West Godavari districts. The state government officials also explained the damages caused due to the flooding of Vijayawada city following breaches in Budameru Rivulet.

The Central team was also briefed on the rescue and relief works undertaken by the state government. It was told that people under the limits of 32 wards and 161 village secretariats were affected. Thousands of people from inundated areas were shifted to relief camps.

The team headed by Dr A. L. Waghmare, an officer in the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, was shown videos and photos highlighting the damages. The state government officials informed the Central team that over one crore food packets and water bottles were distributed among affected people. Drones and helicopters were used for distribution of food, milk, biscuits, candles and matchboxes.

The Central team was told that emergency medical services were provided by opening medical camps in flood-hit areas. The officials said the rescue and relief works were undertaken with the help of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Indian Air Force and the Navy. The team was informed that electricity has been restored in the affected areas while the sanitation works were undertaken.

The state government officials said floods caused widespread damage to agriculture and horticulture crops. The state government officials informed the Central team that floods damaged electronic products, vehicles and household items.

Efforts were made to repair the damaged electronic items and vehicles.

After the meeting with officials, the team visited flood-affected areas in Krishna district. Its first stop was at Yanamalakuduru village in Penamaluru mandal to see the RWS-CPWS scheme damaged in the floods. The team will see damaged houses and horticulture crops at Pedapulipaka village in the same mandal. The team will then visit Chodavaram village of Penamaluru mandal and Madduru village of Kankipadu mandal to see damage to crops. It will then visit Royyuru in Thotlavalluru mandal to see road damages. The team will then make a field visit to the submerged area in Nandivada mandal before reaching Vijayawada.

The team also comprises Anil Subrahmanyam, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Rakesh Kumar, Chief Engineer, Roads, Transport and Highways, R. B. Kaul, Consultant, Finance Department, Pradeep Kumar, Deputy Secretary, Department of Rural Development, and Dr D. V. P. Sharma, scientist, National Remote Sensing Centre. After assessing the damage, the team will submit its report to the Centre.

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