Five persons were killed and two others missing in heavy rains that lashed several parts of Andhra Pradesh during last two days.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who held a tele-conference with the affected district collectors, asked them to pay Rs five lakh ex-gratia to each deceased family. Five persons died in Chittoor district alone which bore the brunt of heavy rains. Crops in thousands of hectares have been damaged in the rains.
The chief minister held tele-conference this morning with the collectors of Kadapa, Nellore and Chittoor districts. He directed the officials to distribute free rice and kerosene to affected families to help the affected people.
Measures should be taken to repair lakes and rivulets which were breached and damaged due to the heavy rains, he said and directed the officials to take works on a war footing to restore disrupted electricity supply in rain-affected areas.
The Chief Minister directed the officials to remain alert for the next 24 hours. He also asked the officials to complete relief, restoration and rehabilitation works on war-footing.
He informed that two NDRF helicopters from Chennai have arrived to Chittoor and Nellore districts to rescue people stranded in floodwaters. “Distribute 20 kg rice and 2 liters kerosene to the victims within a day, on the lines of relief provided during Hudhud,” he added. He has directed the officials to ensure rescue and rehabilitation efforts were in place in flood-affected areas.
In the teleconference, the Chief Minister interacted with six ministers who are monitoring relief and restoration works in the flood-hit districts. The ministers were assigned districts to monitor the flood situation and ensure support to people in every way possible.
The minister are –Narayana, Siddha Raghava Rao for Nellore, Nimmakayala Chinna Rajappa, Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy, Pattipati Pullarao for Chittoor, Ganta Srinivasa Rao for Kadapa. The Ministers and officials of departments concerned were present.(NSS)