Heavy rainfall continues in AP, increasing difficulty in rescue and relief operations

Heavy rainfall continued to lash Andhra Pradesh on Sunday making it difficult for rescue and relief operations. 

According to the Meteorological Department office and Cyclone Warning Centre Visakhapatnam officials, heavy rainfall is expected in coastal Andhra districts on Sunday night and Monday. 

• Also read: Heavy rains claim nine lives in Andhra Pradesh

A Red Alert has been issued for the districts of Palnadu, NTR, Guntur, and Prakasam while an Orange Alert has been indicated for Eluru, Krishna and Bapatla districts by the Meteorological Department.

The road and rail traffic has been disrupted across the state as heavy flooding is seen on National Highway No. 65. Huge traffic jams have been reported on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada Highway and some vehicles are stranded on the Kodad-Khammam road, according to officials. 

The view of folded National Highway-16 due to heavy rain in Vijayawada on Saturday. | Photo Credit: RAO GN

The South Central Railway (SCR) has cancelled over 20 trains and many trains are running late due to the flooding of the tracks. 

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is personally supervising the rescue and relief operations and is visiting the flooded regions on a boat along with the officials. 

According to a CMO official, Naidu will stay put in the Collectorate of NTR district on Sunday night to monitor the situation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Naidu and Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and enquired about the situation in these States in the wake of heavy rains and floods. He assured all possible assistance from the Centre to overcome this challenge.