Andhra seeks Rs 6,880 crore in flood relief from Centre

Andhra Pradesh has sought a relief of Rs 6,880 crore from the Centre in its first report regarding the floods, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said.

External enumerators are being roped in for the purpose, who will be provided with training on Sunday (September 8), he added.

Eighth day of relief work

Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said the procedure of estimating flood losses in Vijayawada will begin from Monday.

Addressing a press conference at the NTR district collectorate, he said flood relief work is going on for the eighth day since the floods in the centrally located city.

“From tomorrow (Monday), the procedure to start estimating flood losses will begin,” said Anitha.

Death toll rises to 45

The chief minister observed that out of 2 lakh houses in flood-hit areas, 1.4 lakh were single-floor residences, which suffered extensive damage due to the floods.

Naidu said houses, shops, and all other structures will be assessed for damage.

The number of deaths due to floods rose to 45 on Sunday morning, said an official press release.

Water seeping through plugged breach

The chief minister met Governor S Abdul Nazeer on Sunday and briefed him about the flood situation and the damage caused to Vijayawada city and other places in the state.

Mohammed Ilyas (50) from Ajit Singh Nagar mini stadium area, one of the worst-affected places, is currently taking refuge at a relative’s house in Tadigadapa. He told news agency PTI that it has been raining continuously in Vijayawada since Saturday night.

Though the 100-metre Budameru breach has been plugged, Ilyas said water is seeping through it and flowing towards Vijayawada, parts of which are still waterlogged. He said the sand and mud between the boulders used to plug the breach got swept away, leading to seepage.

Rivulets adding to flood

Moreover, Budameru is also receiving inflows from the swollen Pulivagu rivulet, along with inflows from the Munneru rivulet in Telangana.

“Waterlogging has reduced. Now there is about 2 feet of water on the road and it is not reducing further due to continuous rain. Once it stops raining it could reduce,” said Ilyas.

Flood relief

Home Minister Anitha said three lakh food packets, milk, and biscuits would be distributed on Sunday, while vegetables, whose prices have been regulated, also recorded brisk sales.

The Home Minister noted that 5 lakh kg vegetables were sold through 163 stores.

Furthermore, 20,000 houses were cleaned using fire engines and 42 drones are also deployed for sanitation work.

(With agency inputs)