An official said a record 5.49 lakh cusecs of water had flowed through the Nellore . Dam
Hyderabad:
Unprecedented rains over the past few days in the Penna River Basin area in Andhra Pradesh have caused record flows in 140 years. In the past few days, the Penna River has received 20,000 cusecs of water from the Annamayya irrigation system upstream. B Rajasekhar, special officer overseeing flooding in Nellore, said a record 5,490,000 cusecs of water had flowed through the Nellore Dam.
The Central Water Board has informed officials in Andhra Pradesh that this type of runoff will occur in 140 years. The last time such a large outflow occurred was in 1882.
Rapid currents disrupted Highway 16, breaking the Chennai-Kolkata road link near Kovvuru. The highway has now been temporarily restored.
More than 35,000 people were forced to live in 90 relief camps set up in Nellore.
Since yesterday there has been no fresh rain so there is no risk of flooding anymore. Authorities say they are currently focusing on relief work.
Andhra Pradesh has been flooded by four-day rains starting last week, and cracks have developed in one of the state’s largest reservoirs.
More than 20,000 people from 18 villages who could face a cataclysm if Rayalacheruvu’s shores break, have been evacuated.
Rayalacheruvu adjoins Tirupati for more than five centuries and was built by Krishnadevaraya. Irrigation officers brought in the sandbags and carried out other repair work to make sure the bundle did not break.
In Kadapa district, a bridge over the Papagni River connecting the towns of Kadapa and Tadipatri collapsed due to the effects of flooding.
On Sunday, the rift caused extensive damage, cutting off major rail and road links connecting the south and east.
The Chennai-Kolkata National Highway 16 was closed to traffic in the SPS Nellore district after a serious road breach in Padugupadu.
At least 17 express trains were canceled on the main Chennai-Vijayawada line as floods overran the tracks in Padugupadu. Three other trains have been partially canceled or diverted.
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