Incessant rain continued to wreak havoc in Andhra Pradesh Sunday,taking the toll to 42. Five people were also missing,an official statement said. Almost one lakh people have been shifted to safer places by authorities. As per preliminary estimates,rain has led to losses worth Rs 1,868 crore,AP Disaster Management Commissioner T Radha said. So far,authorities have set up 235 relief camps and shifted 96,506 people. As per estimates,standing crops in 7.99 lakh hectares were inundated,1,668 cattle died,21,760 houses suffered damage and 1,020 minor irrigation tanks were breached. Nineteen teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. For the past five days,the downpour has been triggered by a low pressure area and the northeast monsoon. Public transport,including train services,has been badly affected,particularly in coastal districts. Rain water has inundated low-lying areas in several districts. AP Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy plans to carry out an aerial survey and visit rain-affected areas in Prakasam and Guntur districts from Monday morning,official sources said. On Sunday,the CM directed officials to distribute 10 kg of rice to victims of heavy rain and enhance their financial assistance from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000. Beneficiaries would include those rescued from low lying areas,fishermen and handloom weavers,among others. The CM also held a high-level review meeting Sunday afternoon. He spoke to the collector of Srikakulam district and other district officials over phone to get an update,sources said. He also directed the administration to take the help of the Army and Air Force if necessary and accurately enumerate all losses as soon as possible. He said special care must be taken to provide medical assistance,food,drinking water and essential commodities to flood victims. Meanwhile,TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu continued his tour of the worst-hit districts of Srikakulam. YSR Congress President (YSRCP) honorary president Y S Vijayamma,who visited Krishna district,urged both the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government to waive off all agricultural loans in flood-affected areas.
