Reservoir suffers breach, Navy asked to standby

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Hyderabad, July 3 (UNI) The Navy was today asked to standby following a breach to the flood embankment of the Thotapalli Reservoir, even as rescue and relief operations started in full swing in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh as major rivers, including Nagavali, received heavy inflow from neighbouring Orissa.

Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who held an emergency review meeting with the Revenue Minister and senior officials, directed them to press into service, helicopters and boats for evacuating people from low-lying areas on a war footing.

Talking to UNI, Relief Commissioner Disaster Managment Debabrata Kantha said the Eastern Naval Command(ENC) was asked to stand by and evacuation ordered as flood embankment of the Thotapalli Barrage in Vizianagaram District suffered a breach following heavy rain in the catchment areas of Nagavali in Orissa due to incessant rains under the influence of a deep depression.

The Collectors of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam were directed to evacuate to safer places, the people of low-lying villages of Komarada and Garugubilli mandals in Vizianagaram district and 86 villages in Srikakulam District in Vangara, Veeragattam, Regidi, Amudalavalasa, Palakonda, Santha Kaviti, Burja Mandals apart from the low-lying areas of Srikakulam Municipality, he said.

Meanwhile, weathermen predicted widespread rains in Coastal belt as also in Telangana in the next 48 hours.

The IAS officer said there were no casualities as of now and the damages to the crops were not not known immediately. The Irrigation Department officials were asked to plug early the breach to the Thotapalli barrage.

He said that helicopters had done reconnaissance over the flooded areas to identify the safe areas for extending relief to the flood affected victims.

Boats have been pressed into service for evacuating the marooned people of Nimmalapadu Village of Komarada Mandal and G M valsa, Gijapa villages of Garubugilli Mandal.

People in these areas had been alerted and shifted to safer areas.

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