Tirupati: Heavy down pour coupled with speeding winds of 10 to 15 kms has brought normal life of people in Chittoor, Nellore, Prakasam districts in Andhra Pradesh to a grinding halt on Monday, under the impact of cyclonic storm ‘Roanu’.
The low depression in Bay of Bengal had turned into cyclonic form and crossed the shore with its landfall off the Pondicherry coastline at Cuddalore late on Monday evening.
Under its impact, the temple town of Tirumala, several parts of Chittoor, like Chandragiri, Satyaveedu, Srikalahasthi, Palamaneru, Mandanapalli witnessed heavy down pour, throwing normal life out of gear.
In the temple town of Tirumala, pilgrims had a tough time with water logging at several places and lashing winds of heavy speeds at 25 kms. Due to heavy rains since Sunday night, traffic on the Ghat Road No. 2, to Tirumala has come to a grinding halt following landslides on this route.
The Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam Board officials and engineering wing officials had rushed to the spot, and to lift the heavy rocks fell on the Ghat road, with the help of cranes. However, as a precaution the Ghat road number 2, to Tirumala was closed down, from Monday evening to Tuesday morning.
But, the heavy rains have brought in new inflows into several reservoirs that would provide the much needed drinking water stocks from where water is being supplied to Tirumala and Tirupathi.
Following the weather warning from the Indian Meteorological Department, Andhra Pradesh State Chief Secretary I Y R Krishna Rao had held a teleconference with the district collectors. He directed the district collectors to keep the official machinery on high alert. Official of revenue, police, irrigation, Panchayat Raj department, Transco officials were asked to remain stationed at their operational head quarters to meet any emergency.
Meanwhile, across the ports located in coastal Andhra Pradesh, official have hoisted the flag -1 warning, indicating prevalence of severe weather conditions. Fishermen were asked not to venture into the sea, as the conditions of sea would be rough to very rough due to trail left behind the cyclonic storm.
In Nellore district, heavy rain fall has been recorded in the mandals like Muthukur, Chillakur, Kota, Vakadu, Kavali, Indukurpet, TP Gudur and Allur. Similar reports have been reported from parts of Prakasam and Guntur districts. According to an IMD warning, heavy to very heavy rainfall would occur at isolated places in Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore of Coastal Andhra Pradesh and also in Chittoor, Kurnool, Kadapa and Anantpur of Rayalaseema on Tuesday and Wednesday.
