Flash floods stall life, disrupt air traffic in Visakhapatnam

Normal life continues to be badly affected in Visakhapatnam due to flash floods caused by heavy rains. Air traffic has also been disrupted.

Visakhapatnam, Oct 7 : Normal life continues to be badly affected in Visakhapatnam due to flash floods caused by heavy rains. Air traffic has also been disrupted.

The floodgates of a reservoir, 10 kilometers from the airport, were lifted recently resulting in water logging in and around the area. Thirteen cusecs of water has been released so far.

Last year authorities had spent around 12.04 million dollars to divert floodwater towards the sea. This plan seems to have fallen flat this time.

According to R V Rama Rao, Chief Engineer of the Institute of Development and Planning Studies, the main problem as of now is the non-compliance of regulations on development of flood flow canal.

Various flights were cancelled. Only four flights operated on Sunday with at least 12 flights being cancelled.

Water logging on the runway has made it difficult for the flights to take off.

"We were told that a chopper will fly, but even that has got cancelled now. We have no idea when things will be all right," said Krishna Sahu, a member of an ONGC team, stranded at the airport.

Various parts of the State are reeling under floods caused by heavy rains over the past few days.

Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, East and West Godavari Districts are the worst affected areas of Andhra Pradesh.

The death toll due to floods has reached 58 in the State. Crops on over 500 acres of land and 15,000 houses have been damaged due to heavy rains in the State.

Over 40,000 families are said to be affected due to floods in the region.

Most of the rivers in the State are flowing above danger mark, although the officials say steps have been taken to prevent the river water from entering residential areas.

Heavy rains in the region are a result of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, off the eastern coast of India.

ANI