Floods that have ravaged Andhra Pradesh eased a bit on Saturday with heavy rains receding in several affected districts even as the storm (deep depression) over Telangana moved in west-northwesterly direction and lay centered over Marathwada region in neighbouring Maharashtra state.
The death toll in the three days of heavy rains and flash floods caused by the storm has been officially put down to 32 as 14 labourers who were presumed drowned in the floods have been traced stuck in trees downstream and were rescued in boats, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy said after a review meeting.
"Earlier, we thought that 14 out of 17 labourers on a bridge construction site were washed away in flash floods in Kurnool district. Fortunately, the 14 labourers feared dead have been traced stuck in trees half-a-kilometre away and have since been rescued in boats," he said.
Still, Kurnool district, which bore the brunt of the flash floods in the rivulets, accounted for nine deaths, followed by five in Guntur and four in Prakasam. Seven other districts accounted for the remaining 14 deaths. Seven persons were reported missing in two districts, he added.
The chief minister said that the storm lay centered over Marathwada close to Osmanabad. It is likely to move in west-northwesterly direction and weaken gradually.
The Southwest monsoon has become vigorous in Andhra Pradesh under the impact of the storm, the Hyderabad Meteorological Centre said and added that "moderate to heavy rains/ thundershowers are likely to occur at most places over Telangana and at many places over Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra. Heavy to very rain is likely to occur over Telangana and Rayalaseema in the next 24 hours. Isolated moderate to heavy rain is likely to occur over coastal Andhra during the same period."
