AMARAVATI :
Heavy torrential rains battered Andhra Pradesh where 20,000 people had to be evacuated and shifted and the death toll rose to thirteen.
18 people has been reported missing according to government data on Saturday in massive floods that hit Kadappa and Chittoor districts. More than a hundred villages, most of them in Kadappa, are presently inundated.
At least four people were killed in a house collapse incident in Kadiri town in Anantapuramu district.
Officials who took up a rescue operation fear there could be some others trapped under the debris.
Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted an aerial survey in Kadappa, Anatapuramu and Chittoor districts to assess the damage.
The government announced an ex gratia payment of ₹5 lakh each to the kin of those killed.
According to the government, 230 relief camps have been set up and food, water packets and rice are being distributed to the affected people. The government is also offering financial assistance of ₹1,000 per person or ₹2,000 per family who have been moved into relief camps.
Nellore district is also bearing the brunt as a record flood in Pennar river left many villages marooned on Saturday.
Thousands of people have been shifted to relief camps in SPS Nellore district from the flood-hit areas, official sources said.
Seven teams of NDRF and SDRF have been deployed in the districts for rescue and relief operations.
Chennai Central-Tirupati train and Guntakal-Tirupati train was declared to be cancelled by the South Central Railway on Saturday owing to heavy rains and suspension of tracks between the Renigunta-Pudi section of Chennai division of Southern Railway.
Sabarimala Pilgrimage cancelled
The administration in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district issued an order on Friday, prohibiting Saturday’s pilgrimage to the famous Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala in the wake of continuous rainfall and the rising water levels in major rivers, including Pamba.
The pilgrims who have booked a slot via the virtual queue system will be given an opportunity for “darshan” in the nearest possible slot once the weather conditions turn conducive.
IMD says no relief till Nov 23
The Indian Meteorological Department has forecasted heavy rainfall for coastal Karnataka and North interior Karnataka till November 23. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana likely to get scattered rains until then. In Tamil Nadu, heavy rain at one or two places today is forecasted in six districts, including the Niligirs, Erode and Perambalur. Chennai may receive light rain till Sunday and the maximum temperature may be around 30 degrees Celsius.
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