Locals say no one taking responsibility for water logging woes in AP

With heavy rains lashing various parts of Andhra Pradesh, and leaving at least 18 persons dead, and forcing the evacuation of over 67,000 people at the last count, local residents have, by and large, expressed their dismay over government inaction and irresponsibility in the matter.

Gaddha Rao, a resident of the Andhra Pradesh capital, said: "There is no help from the government. No one is talking responsibility, and there is no water to drink."

Another unnamed resident said: "I thank the electronic media for highlighting our problems. I fail to understand why this problem arises eveytime there are heavy rains. The government is totally responsible for this. What can be more problematic than not being able to step outside our homes."

As per media reports, the cyclonic storm named "Phaelin" has turned into a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, resulting in incessant rains in several parts of Andhra Pradesh. At least 18 people have died in the last four days.

Not just coastal and Rayalaseema, but Telangana is also experiencing heavy rains.

Officials are looking to move people in several areas in the wake of concerns expressed over flash floods possibly breaching embankments and tanks.

Several hundred villages are said to be cut off and heavy to very heavy rains are expected in isolated pockets of the state over the next 48 hours.

In Hyderabad, several colonies are reportedly inundated, and people have been forced to shift their ground floors to higher floors, or to less flooded areas.

At least twelve National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in the state's badly affected districts. In Guntur and Prakasam Districts, relief teams have rescued marooned passengers of public transport buses.

Most of the evacuations have been reported from Srikakulam and Guntur Districts. About 135 relief camps have been set up.

Standing crop of over 4.34 lakh hectares, mainly paddy and cotton, has been inundated and over 800 kilometers of roads are reportedly damaged.