28 villages in West Godavari marooned

 Incessant rain for the last three days under the influence of depression in the Bay of Bengal disrupted normal life in East and West Godavari districts.

 In West Godavari, 28 villages were marooned.

 Control rooms were set up at the collectorates of East and West Godavari districts to monitor the situation and relief measures in rain-hit villages.

 Several canals and drains are overflowing.

 The rain brought cheers to farmers as it benefits kharif crop.

 In East Godavari district, an average rainfall of 30.7 mm was recorded in the last 24 hours.

 The highest rainfall of 204.4 mm was recorded in Malikipuram mandal, while Karapa received the lowest rainfall of 4.4 mm.

 Paddy and horticultural crops in 4,000 acres were inundated.

 A average rainfall of 61.7 mm was recorded in West Godavari district.

 Narsapur mandal received the highest rainfall of 117.6 mm, while the lowest rainfall of 21.22 mm was recorded in Buttayigudem.

 Paddy and horticultural crops in 6,500 acres were damaged.

 In all, 602 families living were shifted to relief camps.

 Some 184 houses were damaged.

 Eight relief camps were set up in the district.

Pending Drain Works Create Havoc

VIJAYAWADA: Pending open drain works is the main reason behind inundation of many areas at Machilipatnam following heavy rain.

 Sources said open drain works have been taken up at an estimated cost of `80 crore in the district headquarters town during YSR Reddy government.

 However, the works have not been completed till date, even.

 Because of pending drainage works, people are facing problems during the rainy season and it has become a major cause of concern for the last five years.

 According to meteorological officials, Machilipatanm received 186.

4 mm rainfall on October 1, the second highest in Krishna district.

 Following this, many roads, houses and government offices were inundated.

 The government hospital, and tahasildar’s, irrigation and other offices are still waterlogged on Tuesday, though the municipal corporation cleared all major drains.

 KV Ayyappa, an employee is the worst affected, compared to other places in the district following heavy rains in the last two days.

 Most of the town was submerged for over 24 hours, hitting the common man hard, he said.