Low Pressure brings fresh threat to flood-hit AP

Hyderabad, Aug 21 (UNI) A low pressure area persisting over north west Bay of Bengal today brought fresh threat of floods to Andhra Pradesh, as more cyclonic rain are likely in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh where the major rivers Vamsadara and Nagavalli were in spate in the wake of heavy discharge from neighbouring Orissa.

Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said in the State Assembly that announced that an ex-gratia for the families of 131 people killed in the flood fury. Each of the victims families would get Rs 2.5 lakh.

Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy announced provision of inputs' subsidy and enhancement of seeds' subsidy to 50 per cent to flood-hit ryots to raise fresh crops in over five lakh hectares affected by floods.

The flood situation continued to be alarming in the Krishna delta with discharge of 4.03 lakh cusecs from Jurala, the entry point of river Krishna in Andhra Pradesh, 4.08 lakh cusecs from Srisailam, 5.23 lakh cusecs from Nagarjunasagar and 4.75 lakh cusecs from the Prakasam Barrage after diverting 17,688 cusecs into irrigation canals.

Meanwhile, the level in Godavari came down below the first danger level of 42 feet by 1.94 ft in the temple town of Bhadrachalam, bringing much-need respite to the people of Khammam as also East and West Godavari districts, where over 1.57 lakh families were affected in the recent floods.

(EDS: Pick up suitably from related series).

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