31 dead, lakhs affected as Andhra, Telangana reel under rain fury

Torrential downpour in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh left 31 persons dead, battered roads and rail tracks snapping connectivity, submerged thousands of acres of agricultural crops and left people scampering for daily needs as rescue agencies were pressed into rescue and rehabilitation efforts.

The two Telugu speaking states were reeling under the impact of the rains on Monday, as 16 persons were killed in Telangana and 15 in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, which particularly bore the brunt of the rain fury.

A portion of gravel under the railway track near Kesamudram in Telangana was washed away due to floodwaters.

Nearly 4.5 lakh people were affected in Andhra, even as heart-wrenching scenes of people struggling to ensure essentials, including milk were witnessed in the worst affected Vijayawada. The most affected districts included NTR, Guntur, Krishna, Eluru, Palnadu, Bapatla and Prakasam.

Twenty SDRF and 19 NDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations.