Rescue, relief operation intensified in Andhra Pradesh’s flood-hit Vijayawada

Vijayawada, Sep 2 (IANS) Several residential areas in Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada remained submerged on Monday while authorities intensified rescue and relief operations.The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams along with the rescue workers from various departments of the state government were using boats to shift the people from flooded areas to relief camps.After Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu spoke to the Union Home Minister and Home Secretary over the phone on Saturday, additional NDRF teams with speed boats rushed to Vijayawada for rescue operations.CM Naidu, who spent the night in Vijayawada to monitor the relief operations, visited the worst affected Ajit Singh Nagar area. He enquired if the affected people were supplied food and water in the morning.After a meeting with officials in the district collector’s office in Vijayawada early Monday morning, the Chief Minister left for a visit to a flooded area in a boat.This was his third visit since Sunday afternoon. He also went around the affected areas around midnight.CM Naidu asked ministers Narayana, Kondapalli, and Kollu, who were accompanying him, to visit other affected areas.The Chief Minister asked officials to use function halls and other premises as relief camps. He directed officials to use hotels, if necessary, for the stay of the affected people.Meanwhile, authorities have made arrangements to cook, pack, and supply food to one lakh people. Akshaya Patra Foundation was working with the government in preparing and supplying food.Heavy rain and unprecedented floods in Vijayawada, Guntur and other towns since Saturday have claimed 12 lives and left a trail of destruction.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spoke to Chandrababu Naidu over the phone on Sunday, promised all the help in tackling the flood situation.Meanwhile, a second warning signal continued at Prakasam Barrage across the Krishna River. The barrage was receiving heavy inflows. Officials said 11.36 lakh cusecs of water were being released into the sea through 70 gates. The release of water from the barrage has created fears of flooding in the villages downstream.–IANSms/dpb