Rain and clogged drains leave roads waterlogged

Load shedding puts the denizens into inconvenience; rain is likely to occur in many parts of the State in the next 48 hours, says APSDMA Managing Director Ronanki Kurmanath

Several roads were inundated and many areas saw power cuts as rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gales lashed the city on Friday, causing inconvenience to the citizens.

Pedestrians were seen wading through knee-deep water on the roads in Moghalrajpuram, Benz Circle, Sanathnagar, M.G. Road and other areas.

“Rain water was ˜owing on the roads in streets and on the National Highway as the garbage was not cleared from the drains. Many junctions in the city saw tra™c snarls,” said S. Hanumantha Rao, a twowheeler rider.

P. Srikanth, an employee of a laboratory, said he got stuck at Moghalrajpuram. He urged the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) o™cials to clean the clogged drains which was preventing free ˜ow of water.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has cautioned that more rains are likely to occur in some districts in the next 48 hours. APSDMA Managing Director Ronanki Kurmanath said that under the in˜uence of a cyclonic circulation, light to moderate rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, is likely to occur in Eluru, Krishna, Guntur, East Godavari, Kakinada, Anakapalli, ASR, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, West Godavari and Parvathipuram Manyam districts.

Light rainfall may occur in Tirupati, Chittoor, Annamayya, Kurnool and Ananthapuram district, Mr. Kurmanath said.

Farmers, agriculture labourers and cattle rearers have been advised not to stay under trees and in open places during the thunderstorms, he added.

G.N. RAO Drenched in rain, a man carrying a load on his vehicle in Vijayawada on Friday.