As cyclone Michaung made landfall at Bapatla, the Tirupati district administration has been urged to fast-track relief and rehabilitation measures, in view of the havoc caused by the incessant rains that rocked the district for over 48 hours since Monday.
Principal Secretary (Higher Education) J. Syamala Rao, who has been appointed as the Special Officer for Tirupati district to tackle the flood situation, visited Gudur, Srikalahasti, Sullurpeta and Tirupati revenue divisions and reviewed the situation with respect to electricity and road infrastructure.
Collector K. Venkataramana Reddy explained that seventeen relief and rehabilitation camps have been set up across villages in the fifteen mandals identified as vulnerable. He said that 1,293 persons were shifted to the camps with steady supply of food, drinking water and milk.
As many as 20 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have been deployed in the flood-prone areas and are engaged in rescue operations at low-lying areas. Moreover, staff drawn from the revenue, police, secretariat, RWS, engineering and sanitation departments are working in tandem over the last five days.
Earlier, Mr. Rao visited the rehabilitation camp at a corporation primary school in Auto Nagar area and interacted with the public. RDO (Tirupati) Nishant Reddy and Tahsildar (Tirupati Urban) Venkataramana accompanied him.
Meanwhile, local MLA B. Karunakar Reddy and MCT Commissioner D. Haritha visited the submerged areas of Poolavanigunta and Gollavanigunta, located outskirts of the city, and ensured government support to the public.
APSPDCL deputes staff
Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) has pegged the loss suffered so far due to the cyclone at ₹15 crore. Chairman and managing director K. Santhosh Rao announced that steps had been initiated to restore power at the earliest across all the districts.
Power remained disrupted in 1,119 villages in six towns of undivided Chittoor, Kadapa and Nellore districts. Around 360 employees and officials from other districts have reached Nellore circle to fast-track the restoration measures.
