Relentless heavy rainfall has plunged Vijayawada into chaos, with severe waterlogging paralyzing the city and claiming at least two lives, while three others are feared missing, according to reports. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) confirmed that a 51-year-old man, P. Madhusudhana Rao, died after falling into an open underground drainage near Gulammohiddin Street in Kothapeta on Tuesday night, where cleaning work was underway amid flooding.
In a separate incident, 28-year-old electrician Mahesh Babu was killed when a tree, uprooted by strong winds, fell on him near Loyola College road. A third death, that of TDP activist Shaik Murtuza, is under scrutiny, with opposition YSRCP alleging he fell into a drainage pit, blaming VMC negligence.
The downpour, starting Tuesday at 9 pm and continuing into Wednesday, brought up to 112 mm of rain in some areas, flooding low-lying regions like Gunadala, Krishna Lanka, and Ranigari Thota with water levels reaching three feet. The Krishna River and Budameru rivulet swelled, with Prakasam Barrage recording 3.97 lakh cusecs of flood discharge, prompting a first warning signal.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, monitoring from the NTR District Collectorate, ordered continuous surveillance of inflows and deployed NDRF and SDRF teams for rescue operations. The VMC issued a red alert, urging residents to relocate to safer areas and opened community halls for shelter, providing food and water.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that a depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified the rains, with Vijayawada recording 90–112 mm on Tuesday night, and nearby Ponnur and Chirala receiving over 200 mm. Posts on X highlighted the crisis, with visuals of submerged roads and stranded vehicles.
Political tensions flared as CPM leaders demanded ₹25 lakh compensation for victims’ families, alleging VMC’s failure to secure open drains. The district administration set up a 24/7 control room (91549 70454) and warned of further heavy rains for two days, urging vigilance in flood-prone areas like Nandigama and Guntur.
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