Andhra Pradesh rains: 17 dead, over 100 feared missing in deluge across Rayalaseema districts

At least 17 people died and more than 100 were reportedly missing in separate incidents as incessant rains caused flash floods across the four districts of the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh on Friday.

The depression in the Bay of Bengal led to flash floods triggering off a deluge.

As the Cheyyuru river's water breached the Annamayya project leading to flash floods across several mandals in the Rajampet assembly constituency and other parts of Kadapa district, three APSRTC buses filled with passengers were stuck in the flood water near Ramapuram in Rajampet mandal on Friday.

Though the fire services personnel rescued a majority of the passengers and the APSRTC staff, twelve persons washed away in the flash floods were found dead at various places across Rajampet mandal. While officials retrieved 7 bodies near Gandluru, three more bodies were retrieved near Rayavaram and the bodies of two others were retrieved near Mandapalli.

Meanwhile, 30 persons belonging to Mandapalli, Akepadu, Nandaluru in Rajampet mandal were reportedly washed away in floods and officials have launched a search operation to rescue them.

Rail and road traffic between Tirupati and Kadapa came to a standstill as floodwater damaged the railway tracks and national highways at several places along the route.

While the Kadapa airport has been sealed off till the 25th of this month, nearly 10 trains plying between the Nandalur-Rajampet route have been diverted by the south central railways. APSRTC has also suspended bus services from Tirupati-Kadapa, Tirupati-Piler-Rajampet and other routes as flash floods have damaged roads along these routes.

Meanwhile, a man and his wife who went to the KC canal for some religious rituals on the Karthika Deepotsavam eve were washed away in the floods on Friday. Their bodies were recovered near Padidampadu. The deceased were identified as Raghavendra and Indira, residents of Abbas Nagar in Kurnool.

Tungabhadra river which received heavy inflows was in full spate prompting officials to lift 12 crest gates and release waters downstream. This is the first time in 39 years that the Tungabhadra project reached its full reservoir level in the month of November.

Andhra Pradesh floods: Death toll in two districts rises to 41

As floods continue to ravage Andhra Pradesh, the death toll in the Rayalaseema and Nellore districts has risen further from 29 to 41 on Sunday. Six more bodies were retrieved at Rajampet mandal and two fresh flood-related deaths were reported at Chinnamandem mandal in Kadapa district.

Three bodies are yet unidentified at the Rajampet government hospital in Kadapa district, while fifteen bodies have been handed over to the families of the victims. Four deaths were reported in the Nellore district on Sunday.

Two siblings including a woman who tried to cross over the Mandavya river in Chinnamandem mandal were washed away in the strong currents and their bodies were retrieved near Vandadi village. Two unidentified bodies were retrieved near the Somasila project on Sunday.

Nearly 44,275 persons have been evacuated and moved to 92 relief camps across Nellore district.

The floods continued for the fourth consecutive day across Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur and Nellore districts.

A road bridge connecting Kadapa-Tadipatri towns along the Papagni river collapsed in the early hours on Sunday, while road connectivity to several villages along the route remained suspended.

Traffic along the national highway also was brought to a grinding halt after the national highway caved in at two places near Nellore.