Coastal Andhra on high alert as more rains forecasted

VISAKHAPATNAM: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday forecast moderate rainfall at many places and heavy rains at isolated places along the coast during the next 24 hours.
They attributed the conditions to the formation of a well-marked low pressure area over Telangana and adjoining areas, south Chhattisgarh and Vidarbha associated with upper air cyclonic circulation extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level tilting south-westwards.
Till Friday, the low-pressure was close to the north coastal districts and as a result, most of the coastal districts received moderate to heavy rainfall. Visakhapatnam district received 36.6 mm of rainfall, while Srikakulam district recorded 36.7 mm and Vizianagaram district recorded 36.6 mm of rainfall.
Nearly 6,000 residents of the three villages of Geethanapalli, Kopparla and K Kakarapalli near Madduvalasa reservoir in Srikakulam district have been advised to evacuate the areas as the water level in the reservoir has reached the danger mark, said Srikakulam revenue officials.
Some of the areas in north coastal AP that received more than 10 mm of rainfall during the period include Bobbili (80 mm), Sompeta (70 mm), Palakonda (60 mm), S Kota (50 mm), Bondapalli (50 mm), Gajapathinagaram (40 mm), Parvatipuram (50 mm), Mandasa (40 mm), Therlam (30 mm), and Narsipatnam (30 mm).
Srikakulam collector P Lakshmi Narasimham has asked all special officers to be alert for the next 48 hours. "As the water levels in Nagavali and Vamsadhara rivers have risen alarmingly, our officers will keep a watch at the 231 vulnerable villages close to them," he said.
Meanwhile, energy principal secretary Ajay Jain has directed the CMDs of both APEPDCL and APSPDCL to ensure that the customer care call centres are active round the clock to inform the status of restoration power to the public. He has also directed the officials to initiate measures for educating consumers, especially farmers, to safeguard themselves from possible electrical hazards.
Jain has also asked the electricity officials not to avail holidays or leave till the rains subside.