Incessant rain continued in Ongole and other parts of Prakasam district as northeast monsoon intensified on Saturday, which flooded the rivulets in Giddalur of western Prakasam. The downpour left hundreds of acres of standing crop, including paddy, banana, maize and bengal gram across six mandals, covered in a sheet of water.
Due to drought conditions earlier, the farmers, who had raised crops with bore well water, urged the State government to bail them out by releasing input subsidy to raise crops afresh during Rabi season. Agriculture Joint Director S. Srinivasa Rao said that a survey would be undertaken to assess the extent of crop damage.
