Heavy rains claims 14 lives

Hyderabad, Sep 19 (UNI) At least 14 people were killed as heavy rains lashed coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions under the influence of a low pressure area today, bringing a fresh flood threat to the state which is reeling under drought due to a dry spell for over a month.

While Revenue Minister D Prasada Rao put the death toll at 14, six in Karimnagar district, seven in Guntur district and one in Medak district, unofficial reports said 14 people were killed in the worst-hit Karimnagar itself, where 43 tanks had breached.

After a review meeting, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy announced an exgratia of Rs 1.50 lakhs per head to the families of the 14 deceased.

Anticipating a discharge of over 10 lakh cusecs from the upper riparian states, the State Government issued a flood alert all along the banks of the river Godavari, Mr Rao told reporters.

The Met office predicted fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rain over north Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana inthe next one or two days as upper air cyclonic circulation associated with yesterday's low pressure, lay over North Coastal Andhra region and extended up to mid-tropospheric levels.

The rains were beneficial to reduce the deficit in rainfall to a very great extent, Mr Rao said adding that while Coastal Andhra had surplus rainfall of 557.4 mm during this Southwest monsoon season against normal rainfall of 552.7 mm, Telangana had 535.1 mm rainfall (-8 per cent) against normal rainfall of 673.1 mm and Rayalaseema had 283.1 mm rainfall(-20 per cent) against normal rainfall of 355 mm Perur in Khammam district..., picking up from line one para four of MS 20 WEATHER-AP-RAINS.

UNI SM VV PA KN1910