Ongole receives more than 140 mm rainfall in about 12 hours; people living in colonies close to Potharaju canal marooned
Ongole receives more than 140 mm rainfall in about 12 hours; people living in colonies close to Potharaju canal marooned
Heavy rain pounded different parts of Prakasam district under the influence of a weather system that developed in the Bay of Bengal on Thursday.
The sky opened late on Wednesday and there was no let-up in the downpour under the influence of a cyclonic circulation lying over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and neighbourhoods in lower tropospheric levels.
The Sagar hotel centre resembled a swimming pool as the wet spell inundated the arterial Kurnool road for a distance of a few kilometers. People living in the low-lying areas, including the colonies close to Potharaju canal, spent sleepless nights removing water from their homes. The city witnessed more than 140 mm rainfall in about 12 hours.
More than 600 families, living close to the overflowing Potharaju canal, including Nehru nagar, NTR colony, Jayaprakash colony, Balaram colony, Balineni Bharat colony were marooned following the unabated rains.
Local people rescued three occupants of a car that was washed away on the N.G.Padu-Upgunturu road as Kothaguntavagu was in spate. Rivulets were also in spate in and around Markapur and Konakanamitla.
However, the rain came as a boon for the farmers as the Kharif crop coverage improved to 97% of the normal acreage of 1,71,620 hectares.
The wet spell also gave impetus to the farm operations during rabi cropping season, according to Agriculture Joint Director S. Srinivasa Rao. The India Meteorological Department(IMD) predicted more rains in the next 48 hours under the influence of a trough running from the cyclonic circulation over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and neighbourhoods to central parts of northern Uttar Pradesh across Telangana, Vidarbha and west Madhya Pradesh in lower tropospheric level.
Another cyclonic circulation
Another cyclonic circulation lying over central parts of south Bay of Bengal in middle tropospheric levels will bring isolated very heavy rainfall at several places in the region up to coming Sunday, according to weather bulletin issued by the IMD.
Kanigiri recorded a maximum rainfall of 142.4 mm followed by Konakanamitla (105.4 mm), Cumbum (102.4 mm), Bestavaripeta (98.4mm), Marripudi (90.2 mm), Kumarole (87.4 mm) and N.G.Padu (80.6 mm), according to a report compiled by the Chief Planning Office.
