Rains damage crops, hit normal life in parts of Andhra
Amaravati, Dec 11: Rains continue to lash parts of south coast and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday under the impact of the cyclonic storm Mandous which crossed Tamil Nadu coast on Friday night and has now weakened into low pressure area.
The incessant rains inundated low-lying areas, affecting vehicular traffic, throwing normal life out of gear and damaging crops.
Heavy rains lashed SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, Tirupati, Chittoor, Annamayya and YSR Kadapa districts, inundating low-lying areas. Rivulets, streams and lakes were overflowing due to incessant rains since Friday.
According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy to very heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rainfall at isolated places over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, south interior Karnataka and Rayalaseema during 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Sunday.
Atmakur in SPSR Nellore district recorded the maximum rainfall of 13 centimeters. Markapur (Prakasam), Amalapuram (East Godavari) and Veligandla (Prakasam) received rainfall of 10 cm each.
Kandukur and Marripudi in Prakasam district saw rainfall of 9 cm each. Ongole (Prakasam) Udayagiri (SPSR Nellore) and Podili (Prakasam) recorded rainfall of 8 cm each. Avanigada (Krishna) and Konakanamitla (Prakasam) received 7 cm of rainfall each.
Prakasam district received widespread rains for a second day on Sunday. Flood water entered into houses in a few colonies in the affected areas in Peddaraveedu mandal.
Chilli crop was badly damaged in part of Prakasam district due to continuing downpour. Farmers said if the rains continue for another couple of days, they would lose the entire crop. Farmers, who made huge investments in the crop, have appealed to government to come to their rescue.
In Nellore district, rains continued to last several areas for a third consecutive day. The rains have caused extensive damage to crops over hundreds of acres in 118 villages in the district.
According to officials of the agriculture department, the incessant rains have damaged paddy, cotton, peanut, red gram and black gram crops.
Initial estimates show paddy crop was damaged over 17,127 acres. Red gram was damaged over 200 acres. Officials said cotton crop spread over 1,467 acres and black gram over 360 acres was damaged.
Farmers in Guntur district have also suffered massive crop loss due to the incessant rains for the last three days. Paddy crops in parts of the district were submerged. Farmers, who were hoping to reap the harvest in a few days, were distraught over the loss.
Rains over the last two days in Srikakulam district of north coastal Andhra also caused damage to paddy kept ready in the fields after harvest. Farmers alleged that the delay on part of the government in procuring paddy led to losses.
In Satya Sai district, Bukkapatnam received 6.8 cm rainfall while Kuttacheruvu received 6.4 cm rainfall. Amadaguru saw a rainfall of 5.8 cm while it was 5.7 cm in Penukonda.
Lakes and tanks in Gopavaram mandal of YSR district received huge inflows due to continuing rains. Budvel received 5.5 cm rainfall.
According to IMD, Saturday's deep depression (remnant of cyclonic storm Mandous) over north Tamil Nadu weakened into a low pressure area early Sunday over north interior Tamil Nadu and adjoining south interior Karnataka and north Kerala.
"It became less marked at 0830 hours IST of today, 11th December, 2022. However, the associated cyclonic circulation persists over the same region and extends upto mid-tropospheric levels. It is very likely to emerge into the Southeast & adjoining Eastcentral Arabian Sea off north KeralaKarnataka coast. Under its influence, a Low Pressure Area is likely to form over the same region around 13th December and move west-northwestwards away from the Indian coast thereafter," said the IMD bulletin.
The IMD has forecast light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over Tamil Nadu, south interior Karnataka and south coastal Andhra Pradesh on Sunday.