Heavy Rains Submerge Farmlands in North Andhra, Farmers Devastated

Heavy rains have wreaked havoc across North Andhra Pradesh, submerging thousands of acres of farmland. The situation has left farmers distressed as paddy stacks in fields have been drenched. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that the deep depression formed over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm, resulting in heavy rainfall over the region for the past two days.

According to officials, the storm was centered 370 kilometers from Chennai, 450 kilometers from Visakhapatnam, and 640 kilometers from Gopalpur in Odisha as of yesterday evening. Heavy rains have devastated paddy fields across thousands of hectares in the districts of Anakapalli, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam.

The weather department predicted a gradual reduction in rainfall today, with light to moderate rain expected in Kakinada, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam districts.

Authorities warned fishermen not to venture into the sea, which remains turbulent. Third-level storm warnings have been issued at ports including Visakhapatnam, Kalingapatnam, Gangavaram, Kakinada, and Machilipatnam.

Due to heavy rains, landslides occurred near the Borra station on the Kothavalasa-Kirandul railway line, causing rocks to fall onto the tracks. This led to a derailment of a goods train bogie traveling from Visakhapatnam to Araku.