Pix: Heavy rains lash Andhra; 25 dead, 80,000 evacuated

At least 25 people were killed in rain-related incidents in different districts in the last three days, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who reviewed the flood situation in the state with his Cabinet colleagues on Monday, was informed.

Also, standing crop, both agriculture and horticulture, in 5.25 lakh hectares was damaged due to heavy rain and floods under the impact of Nilam cyclonic storm, he was told.

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Around 80,000 people were evacuated and 1,200 houses were damaged in different districts.

Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari and Krishna districts were the worst hit as rivers and rivulets remained in spate. Road network of almost 1,000 km length was also damaged because of floods, the CM was told.

"These are only preliminary estimates. The district collectors have been asked to send detailed reports about the exact damage," a senior official said after the meeting.

The chief minister directed all departments to work in close co-ordination and extend rescue and relief measures to people affected by the floods.

Ministers N Raghuveera Reddy, Kanna Lakshminarayana, Botsa Satyanarayana and others attended the review meeting.

Meanwhile, principal opposition Telugu Desam Party demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tour the flood-hit areas of the state immediately and extend financial assistance for relief and rehabilitation.

"Farmers are crest-fallen as they lost standing crop. It is unfortunate that both the state and the central governments have remained indifferent to their plight. The state government should immediately convene an all-party meeting to discuss the crop losses," TDP spokesman E Peddi Reddy said.

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu had criticised Reddy and other ministers alleging that they were camping in Delhi to participate in a rally at a time when the state was facing heavy rains.

In Vijayawada, Naidu also demanded that the Union government depute a team to assess the loss in the flood-affected areas.

He was talking to reporters at Gannavaram airport today on his way to flood affected areas of Krishna, West Godavari and East Godavari districts.

Naidu demanded that the affected farmers should be compensated with Rs 10,000 per acre and the government should also supply seeds and fertilisers free of cost.

He demanded that crop and cattle insurance should be settled immediately by relaxing the norms.

YSR Congress party honorary president Y S Vijayamma is also visiting the flood-affected areas of Krishna, west Godaveri and east Godaveri district.

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