Heavy rains: woman dies, two more missing in streams at Jeelugumilli, Nuzvid in Eluru district

With the Godavari river and many rivulets in spate owing to the incessant rains, the police sounded an alert in the Agency areas in Eluru district on Sunday (September 14).

An agricultural labourer, Chellamma, drowned and another woman, Varalakshmi, went missing in Kavadi Konda Vaagu stream, which was in spate on Andhra Pradesh and Telangana border.

The victims were natives of Puchdikapadu village, Jeelugumilli mandal, in Eluru district. The incident occurred when Chellamma and Varalakshmi were returning from Aswaraopet mandal in Telangana after attending works, said Polavaram Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) M. Venkateswara Rao.

The A.P. and Telangana police and State Disaster Response Force have been pressed into service. The police are searching for Varalakshmi, said Eluru Superintendent of Police K. Pratap Shiva Kishore.

In another incident, a B.Pharm student, Neeraja, drowned in Ramileru stream, which was in spate at Tukkuluru village, in Nuzvid Rural mandal in the district. “The police and expert swimmers have launched a search for the missing student,” said Nuzvid DSP K.V.V.N.V. Prasad.

Due to heavy rains occurring in the upstream mandals in Telangana State, about 25 small and major rivulets and streams were overflowing the ‘Saptas’(low level bridges), said Mr. Pratap Shiva Kishore.

The police have formed pickets at many places in Jangareddygudem, Velerupadu, Jeelugumilli, T. Narsapuram and Kukunur mandals as the streams were flowing on the roads.

“Road connectivity has been cut-off to some habitations on A.P.-Telangana borders. Boats with life jackets and ropes have been arranged for in the flood-affected villages,” the SP said.

The Yerra Kaluva was in spate and road connectivity has been cut between Rajavaram and Pangidigudem. Tribal habitations located on the Godavari bund was cut-off from the mainstream as the streams were flowing on the low-level bridges.

Jangareddygudem Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) U. Ravi Chandra, Nuzvid DSP K.V.V.N.V. Prasad, Polavaram DSP M. Venkateswara Rao, Kukunur Circle Inspector M. Ramesh Babu and other officers were monitoring the situation in the villages, the SP said.

“The Eluru District Response Force (EDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) arranged boats to transport the villagers from Perantallapalli, Tekuru, Ballapalli, Katukuru, Koida, Yadavalli and other villages,” Mr. Pratap Shiva Kishore told The Hindu. “Villagers are requested to step out only in emergency, follow the instructions of the police, wear life jackets while travelling on boats and dial 100 if necessary,” the SP said.