Death toll reaches 24 as heavy rains continue to lash Andhra Pradesh, many missing

The unending monsoon season continues to cause damage across the southern states in India as heavy rains and storms continue to lash parts of Andhra Pradesh, leading to several fatalities over the past few days. Till now, the heavy downpour has caused the death of 24 people in the state.

Apart from the deaths caused by the extremely heavy rainfall in the state, as many as 18 people have been reported missing and many have been displaced from their homes due to rain-related incidents in Andhra Pradesh over the course of the last few days.

As per media reports, a total of 13 people were left dead in the Kadapa district after the rains triggered a series of flash floods. The Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh saw a total of seven deaths, while four deaths were recorded in the Chittoor district.

The rains have caused massive damage to property and infrastructure in the state, with as many as 1,544 houses damaged, 3.4 hectares of agricultural fields, and hundreds of cattle lives lost due to the floods and waterlogging caused by the downpour.

Reports suggest that the loss of public property in these districts is estimated to be around Rs 8,206.57 lakh. With most of the localities heavily flooded in several districts, the police, SDRF, and fire services personnel are conducting rescue operations, getting out hundreds of people from the worst-hit areas.

The connectivity to six villages was completely cut off due to the floods and waterlogging triggered by the extremely heavy rains in Andhra Pradesh, which was later restored by the NDRF. Efforts are still being made to establish contact with the last remaining village.

Rescue operations were also conducted by the Indian Air Force using the Mi-17 helicopter, while over 213 relief camps have been set up across the state, with nearly 20,000 people set residing in them for the time being. The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), issued a statement, saying that CM Jagan Mohan Reddy will be taking an aerial survey of the flood-hit districts in Andhra Pradesh.