Severe flooding devastates Andhra Pradesh, relief efforts in full swing | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Severe flooding has struck Andhra Pradesh on Thursday due to heavy rainfall, submerging roads and houses. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that a land-based cyclone caused intense precipitation within a 24-hour period. The extreme weather was driven by moisture from the Arabian Sea and heat from the eastern regions of the country.
Relief efforts are underway, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), central forces, and local officials working together.Helicopters are delivering essential supplies, such as food and water, to the affected areas. The flooding, triggered by a cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal, has caused water levels to rise at the Prakasam Barrage and has inundated several regions.
Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh previously announced the pioneering use of drones to support relief efforts, enhancing the efficiency of aid distribution. Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu personally visited the flood affected areas and assessed the situation at the Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority, emphasised that safeguarding lives and property is the top priority.
Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directives, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Andhra Pradesh. Chouhan visited Vijayawada and other regions, intending to engage with residents and farmers to evaluate the damage. “In this hour of crisis, the central government stands fully with the people of the flood-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and will provide all possible help to them in overcoming the crisis,” Chouhan stated in a post on X.

Both Chouhan and Naidu were briefed on the flood situation in the state. After the survey, Shivraj singh Chouhan gave an update and said, “The situation in Vijayawada is unprecedented. The area received 400mm of rainfall in a short time, such a thing has never happened before.”
He then hailed CM Naidu and his team for “working 24/7”. Then, he talked about Central government’s involvement assuring that it “is providing all help to the state.” “The loss of human lives has been minimal. Teams of NDRF are working here. MPs MLAs, and ministers are engaged in work here. Food packets, milk and water are being dropped to stranded people using drones. Sanitation work is being done at war footing. Animal husbandry teams are also working continuously. Home Minister Amit Shah ji has sent a team here to study how water discharged can be increased from 70-year-old Prakasam Barrage. There has been a lot of crop damage also in the area, 2 lakh farmers affected. Work has started to assess the extent of damage.” the union minister added.
The heavy rains have caused significant damage, with rainfall ranging from 29 to 34 cm disrupting traffic and leading to train cancellations. Areas like Singhnagar and Nandamuri Nagar are submerged, forcing approximately 200,000 people to evacuate. Naidu has sought assistance from the central government, resulting in the deployment of additional NDRF teams and resources. He reassured residents that all possible measures are being implemented for their relief and encouraged them to remain resilient.
The Indian Army also reported a breach in Budameru canal near Vijayawada following heavy rains. “Incessant rainfall in NTR and Krishna districts resulted in breach in Budameru Canal and flooding in Areas astride. On request from State Government of AndhraPradesh, Indian Army’s Flood Relief and Engineer Task Forces airlifted from Hakimpet, Hyderabad in IAF aircrafts to Vijayawada,” posted the Indian Army Southern Command on X.

Hyderabad PRO gave further details on Army operation revealing that Air Force airlifted 40 troops of Army Engineers from Hakimpe using AN 32 aircraft.