Rain toll put at 32 in AP

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October 31, 2005 15:15 IST

The toll in rain-related incidents in Andhra Pradesh in the wake of the deep depression rose to 32 even as heavy floods in river Krishna submerged low-lying areas in Vijayawada. 

A large quantity of 3.50 lakh cusecs of water was discharged from Nagarjunsagar Dam, across the river Krishna, forcing the authorities to discharge water into the sea from Prakasam Barrage downstream. 

This led to inundation of low-lying areas including Krishnalanka and Rajarajeswaripet, the sources said.  

Vehicular traffic on the Pune-Machilipatnam National Highway, which came to a halt due to flooding, was restored Sunday night. 

Traffic on the Chennai-Kolkata highway was also restored. The state, which witnessed floods in three spells resulting in property loss of over Rs 2600 crore, was slowly limping back to normalcy.

More than 47,500 people, evacuated from low-lying areas, have started returning to their homes, the sources said. 

Rail traffic on the Gudur-Vijayawada was also restored, railway sources said adding, it would take at least 10 days to restore traffic on the Nadikudi-Bibinagar section.

The incessant rains caused extensive damage to 4,929 electrical installations in the districts of east Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Ongole, Nellore, Chittor and Kadapa, the sources said adding, that 258 irrigation tanks and 138 roads had breached.  

Water was yet to recede in four mandals in Prakasam district and and one in Nellore district, where 1.70 lakh cusecs of water was let out from the Rallapadu Reservoir. 

The state government has urged the Centre to release interim assistance of Rs 800 crore to tide over the crisis. 

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