Visakhapatnam, Sep 24— A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast near Kalingapatnam early Thursday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to north Andhra, with Visakhapatnam witnessing widespread waterlogging and two women being electrocuted in Anakapalli district.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the weather system crossed the coast close to southwest of Kalingapatnam between 11 pm on Wednesday and 1 am on Thursday. It was accompanied by winds of 55-65 kmph, gusting up to 75 kmph.
The heavy rainfall led to waterlogging on several roads and in residential areas of Visakhapatnam, including Sagar Nagar-Rushikonda, Port Road, Gajuwaka, MVP Colony and Akkayyapalem.
All 104 automatic weather stations in Visakhapatnam district recorded rainfall, while 65 stations received more than 64.5 mm of rain. Seethammadhara and Visakhapatnam Rural recorded around 170 mm each between 10 pm and 6 am.
At least 48 trees were uprooted in the city, following which Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) teams were deployed to clear the roads.
In Anakapalli district, Rongala Janaki (28) and her mother Gompa Manga (55) died after coming into contact with a galvanised iron wire at K Velam village in Nathavaram mandal.
Janaki’s husband, Rongala Nagaraju (32), was injured while trying to remove the wire and is undergoing treatment at Narsipatnam Area Hospital.
Meanwhile, rising water levels in the Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers prompted authorities to issue the first flood warning in Srikakulam district.
Srikakulam Collector Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar said NDRF and SDRF teams had been kept ready at sensitive locations and people living in low-lying areas were being shifted to safer places.
“We will effectively handle any eventuality as officials of all departments are working in tandem,” Pundkar said.
He added, “NDRF and SDRF teams were kept ready at sensitive places to take up relief measures.”
“People living in low-lying areas are being shifted to safe places,” the collector said.
Palasa recorded 143 mm of rainfall, the highest reading in Andhra Pradesh during the cited 24-hour period.
Schools and colleges were closed in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Parvathipuram Manyam districts as authorities stepped up precautionary measures.
Bad weather also forced an Air India Express flight carrying Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu and MSME Minister Kondapalli Srinivas to divert from Bhogapuram to Nagpur. All passengers on board were safe.
The IMD said the system moved slowly west-northwestwards after crossing the coast and was expected to gradually weaken.
