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17 Dead, 3 Reported Missing As Vijayawada Struggles To Survive Catastrophic Floods; Thousands Left Without Power Or Clean Water

The floods have also caused heavy damage to the roads, bridges, and railway tracks.

by Nikitha Sebastian
17 Dead, 3 Reported Missing As Vijayawada Struggles To Survive Catastrophic Floods; Thousands Left Without Power Or Clean Water

The city of Vijayawada, in Andhra Pradesh, has been reeling under floods that disrupted life and displaced over 2.76 lakh people. Heavy rains caused the Budameru River—a small but important water body on the outskirts of the city—to breach, thereby causing devastating flooding. Excessive rains at catchment areas coupled with high inflows from several reservoirs located in the vicinity transformed heavy rainfall into a disaster and inundated most areas of the city.

Vijayawada Struggles To Survive Catastrophic Floods


Ajit Singh Nagar, a densely populated locality, stands as one of the worst-hit areas. Water levels have surged to such heights that numerous ground-floor homes are entirely submerged, compelling residents to seek refuge on upper floors or evacuate entirely. The overhead tanks have run dry, and in some areas, power outages have persisted for more than 24 hours.

So far, the floods have killed at least six people in Vijayawada, while the number of deaths across the state is said to be 17. These include deaths related to landslides and drowning due to the increasing floodwaters. At least three people are reported missing. The floods have also caused heavy damage to the roads, bridges, and railway tracks. Travelling has become a nightmare due to long road jams and submerging of important roads. Numerous regions remain isolated, and the connection to Hyderabad has been severed, leaving only a single possible route available through Piduguralla.

Also Read: IMD Issues Orange Alert For Hyderabad; IndiGo Issues Warning As Heavy Rains Flood Roads And Impact Flights

Rescue Operations In Full Swing

Rescue operations are in full swing, but the scale of devastation is extreme. Authorities have deployed the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and pressed helicopters into action to evacuate stranded residents. Boats, though hardly in sufficient supply, are also taking part in the rescue of marooned residents.

The central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has pledged full support by sending more rescue teams and resources to aid in the relief efforts. The state government has also been in contact with the Union Home Ministry, which is coordinating additional resources.

Also Read: Crocodiles Spotted In Gujarat Amid Heavy Rains & Floods; Chilling Visuals From Videos Go Viral

Much of Vijayawada remains underwater, and with the rains continuing to pour, fears of further flooding are rising. The disruption has further stretched into the fields of telecommunications and internet services. It has been down in many parts of the city. This has left people helpless in reaching out for help or communicating with their loved ones. Authorities have set up relief camps in safer areas and are actively distributing food, but the needs remain vast. Over two lakh people depend upon these relief efforts, and a large part of the population is still waiting for help to arrive.

Cover Image Courtesy: @alphabetviews /X (Formerly, Twitter)

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