Over 17,000 people move to relief camps in Andhra Pradesh

: Over 17,000 people were evacuated to relief camps from their houses as tens of villages in East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh continue to remain cut off as flood-level in river Godavari kept steadily increasing on Saturday.

Overall, 52,500 people were affected by the flood in Yatapaka, VR Puram, Kunavaram and Devipatnam mandals in the two districts but no casualty was reported so far, according to the State Disaster Management Authority.

NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed for rescue and relief operations in the affected areas.

Flood-level was inching towards the second danger- level at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowaleswaram in East Godavari district with an inflow of 11.60 lakh cusecs at 8 pm.

The second warning would be issued after the inflow touches 13 lakh cusecs.

But authorities are discharging all the floodwater into the Bay of Bengal.

About 32 habitations in Devipatnam mandal of East Godavari district were the worst affected as they remained completely flooded and cut off.

In West Godavari, 21,568 people were badly affected due to the flood.

The district administration, with the help of NDRF and SDRF teams, moved essential commodities, including food packets, for the trapped villagers.

The state government ordered distribution of 25 kg of rice, two litres of kerosene, one kg of redgram dal, one litre of edible oil, one kg of onions and one kg of potatoes to all the families in the affected villages.

In West Godavari, paddy crop in nursery stage in 412 hectares and 1026 ha in transplant stage was affected due to inundation.

Two teams each with a total of 120 NDRF personnel have been positioned in the two Godavari districts to carry out rescue and relief operations.

Three SDRF teams with 124 men have been deployed in East Godavari and one with 34 personnel in West Godavari, according to the State Disaster Management Authority.

Besides, the State Disaster Response Force and Fire Services personnel have also been assigned duties at the respective places for rescue and relief operations.

Officials have been supplying food and other essential items in boats to the affected villagers.