Impact of Cyclone Montha batters large parts of Annamayya district

Following the impact of Cyclone Montha, heavy rains battered large parts of Annamayya district on Tuesday, triggering flash floods, swelling rivers, and damaging road networks in the eastern mandals. The Rajampeta revenue division bore the brunt, recording 210 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours.

The Penagalur, Railway Kodur, Rajampeta, Chitvel, and Obulavaripalle mandals received incessant downpours since Monday night. The Gunjaneru rivulet, carrying heavy inflows from the adjoining Seshachalam hills, is in spate, while the Cheyyeru river near Rajampeta is brimming to the banks, flooding rural roads and low-lying areas.

The Chennai-Kadapa NH between Kukkaladoddi and Anantarajupeta in Railway Kodur mandal suffered severe damage, disturbing vehicular traffic. Several minor causeways in Railway Kodur, Chitvel, and Obulavaripalle mandals were overflowing. Horticulture Officer (Railway Kodur) Bhaskar said that despite heavy rains in the region, no major crop damage was reported from the farmers.

While the Rajampeta division received downpour, 16 mandals, mostly in the Madanapalle revenue division, recorded scanty rainfall ranging from 0 to 6 mm.

District Collector Nishant Kumar on Tuesday inspected the Nandaluru tank (Kanyaka Cheruvu) in Rajampet division and reviewed the flood situation. He was accompanied by senior police and Revenue officials.

The Collector instructed officials to keep a close watch on water levels in tanks, ponds, and rivulets and take precautionary measures in vulnerable habitations. He directed the irrigation officials to release excess water downstream into Cheyyeru river from the Nandaluru tank if water levels crossed the red mark.

Disaster response teams have been kept ready at critical locations along the Gunjaneru and Cheyyeru river courses. The Collector said that there is a round-the-clock vigil, monitoring inflows into major tanks and rivulets, and ensuring emergency access to inundated areas.

The official said that as many as seven relief centres were arranged in the Rajampeta division and asked the officials to shift the people from the vulnerable areas to the camps.

Mr. Nishant Kumar urged the public to stay indoors for the next 24 hours, avoid crossing flooded causeways, and move livestock and belongings to higher ground.