Torrential rains in the State, caused by a trough of low pressure lying over the Bay of Bengal adjoining Andhra-Tamil Nadu coasts, have claimed 20 lives so far, besides damaging crops in over 5.98 lakh acres partially or fully and destroying public and private properties at several places.

East Godavari and Visakhapatnam accounted for six deaths each; Nellore, Prakasam and Anantapur two each; and West Godavari and Chittoor one each. Besides, six persons are reported missing. Paddy, cotton, maize and soyabean crop was damaged in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Prakasam and Krishna also.

Disaster Management officials said many rivulets, streams and tanks, which were in spate in these districts, overflowed onto roads. The running of several long distance trains was delayed by three to five hours as a railway track was damaged between Singarayakonda and Ulavapadu in Prakasam district was damaged.

These trains include those to and from New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Howrah and Thiruvananthapuram. The rains spared the North Coastal Andhra on Tuesday but lashed Prakasam, Anantapur, Kadapa and Chittoor.

The depression in the sea near Thailand, which got downgraded into a low pressure area, however, threatened to reach the South Andaman Sea by Wednesday evening and intensify into a cyclonic storm. Weathermen said the system was heading towards the Tamil Nadu coast.

Published Date : Wednesday, NOV 01:10PM IST

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