A red alert has been issued for several districts in Andhra Pradesh, as heavy rainfall is expected to continue over the next two days. The India Meteorological Department has forecasted heavy to very heavy rainfall in Srikakulam, Manyam, and Vizianagaram districts, while an orange alert has been issued for Visakhapatnam, Alluri, Anakapalli, Kakinada, and Yanam districts, meteorologist KVS Srinivas told.
The state has been grappling with severe rainfall, leading to widespread flooding, property damage, and the loss of 45 lives in rain-related incidents. Although waterlogging has eased in some areas, the intense flooding continues to cause significant challenges.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha will assess the flood damage in Vijayawada, following Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s earlier statement that 1.4 lakh single-floor homes have been extensively damaged by the floods. The chief minister has requested central government assistance and informed Governor S Abdul Nazeer about the ongoing flood crisis.
Relief efforts are in full swing, with three lakh food packets, milk, and biscuits being distributed to affected residents. Additionally, five lakh kilograms of vegetables have been sold through 163 stores. Around 20,000 houses have been cleaned using fire engines, and 42 drones are being used for sanitation operations.
Neighboring Telangana has also been severely impacted by the floods. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that the central government will provide ₹3,448 crore in immediate assistance to both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to mitigate the effects of the floods. The government will also assess crop damage and consider providing seeds, fertilizers, and potential loan waivers for farmers.