Hyderabad: At least 35 people were killed in various rain-related incidents in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana amid heavy rainfall and flooding. Over 47,000 people were shifted to relief camps in both states.
While 19 people died due to rain-related incidents in Andhra Pradesh, 16 were killed due to the rain and flood fury in Telangana.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the intensity of rainfall would reduce in both states, as the depression over East Vidarbha and Telangana will likely move northwestwards across Vidarbha and adjoining west Madhya Pradesh, before weakening into a low pressure area during the next 24 hours.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu called the floods in the state, especially in Vijayawada, the "biggest disaster" he had witnessed in the state.
The Chief Minister, who is currently staying at the collectorate in NTR district, said he would request the Centre to announce the Andhra Pradesh floods as a natural calamity. A total of 47 rescue teams, including personnel from the NDRF and SDRF, were deployed for relief operations in the state. Food packets were distributed to over 350,000 people in the state on Monday.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy echoed Naidu's request to declare the floods as a national calamity.
Reddy said that damages worth over £500 mn were reported so far due to floods in the state and sought immediate relief assistance of £200 mn from the Centre. He announced compensation of Rs 500,000 for the families of the deceased.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to both Chief Ministers on Sunday and assured of all possible help from the Centre to deal with the crisis
