Heavy rains hit Andhra hard; 17 killed and over 100 people are missing

Unabated rains in Andhra Pradesh have claimed 17 lives so far with over 100 missing. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are working round-the-clock along with the state relief teams to rescue people trapped at different places.

A depression formed over the Bay of Bengal triggered flash floods at several places in the Rayalseema region of the state, bringing life to a standstill.

The Annamayya dam breached near Rajampeta in Kadapa district on Friday (November 19) killing eight people with over 50 feared to have been washed away. The deceased were passengers of state road transport corporation buses, which got caught in the floods after the dam breached.

In Kadiri town of Anantapur district, three children and an elderly woman died after an old building collapsed following heavy rains on Friday night. Rescue workers are trying to take out four people still caught in the building.

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Heavy rains around Tirumala Hills have flooded the Swarnamukhi river while blocking the roads that approach the temple. Reservoirs are overflowing and several people are feared trapped due to the floods. Roads have got damaged at several places and rail as well as air movements have come to a halt. Three buses were marooned in the fast flowing Cheyyeru river. The rescue workers helped 20 passengers come out alive. Eight bodies were also recovered.

The Kadapa airport will remain closed till November 25.

No vehicular movement is allowed on the road that connects Tirupati to Pudi, Pachikapallam, Chittoor and Madanapalle.

In the Rayalaseema region, Kadapa, Chittoor, Kurnool and Anantpur districts have been badly hit by the incessant rains and resulting floods.