Hyderabad, Aug 27: A new low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal triggered heavy rains today in coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, fuelling fears of further destastation following the recent havoc wrought by torrential rains and floods.Under the influence of a depression in Bay of Bengal, heavy rains lashed Srikakulam, Vizianagar, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari and Krishna districts.``All the reservoirs in the state are full. And fresh rains in the coastal belt are causing concern, particularly the situation in and around Kolleru lake (Krishna district),'' Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu told reporters during his visit to the affected areas in the city.Army personnel assisted in plugging a breach in the 115-year-old bund of Fox Sagar tank at Qutbullapur on the city's outskirts in the early hours today even as the state government launched relief operations in 13 flood-affected districts on war footing.The tank had developed a breach late last night and the gushing waters entered Hussain Sagar lake in the city, causing panic among residents of low-lying areas.Several families from 12 localities around Qutbullapur, Kutatpally, IDPL Colony and Balanagar were evacuated with the help of the army.People from low-lying areas near Langar House tank in the city have also been moved to safer places.However, there was no threat of breach to Hussain Sagar Lake in the heart of the city, officials said.According to a report from Warangal, nine fishermen were reported missing after they ventured into a stream near Parakal today. However, three of them were later found clinging to a tree at Lakshmipur village, about 85 km from here.The district administration has requisitioned a helicopter to rescue the three as the flow of water is strong.In Guntur, state health Minister Dr S Aruna said 339 mobile medical teams had been set up in the 13 flood-affected districts to check the spread of water-borne diseases.Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Vadde Sobhanadreswara Rao today said that heavy rains in the state had destroyed the entire pulses crop in the state and damaged paddy crop in 80,000 hectare and green gram in one lakh hectare.The government would take all steps to help the farmersin the flood affected areas of the state, he told reporters here adding, farmers would be paid for the loss after official estimates were done.Rao said 5000 acres of black gram, 3000 acres of redgram, 7500 acres of chilles and 9500 acres of cotton crop were submerged in Krishna district due to the rains.He charged Congress with creating lawlessness in the state under garb of agitation against the hike in power tariff and said ``they even joined hands with terrorists''.Rao came down heavily on the Congress for trying to seize the assembly on August 28, when the state was hit by disaster, adding, Congress leaders are behaving in irresponsible manner at a time when people were going through a nightmarish experience.
