Amaravati(Andhra Pradesh): As Andhra Pradesh grapples with floods triggered by heavy rains, the Chandrababu Naidu led state government has turned to an innovative way of providing food and essential medicines to people trapped in inaccessible areas through drones.
For the first time, drones have been used as an alternative for food supply in areas inundated in floodwaters where even boats and helicopters cannot go. The drones have been pressed into service by the local authorities to provide water, food and medicine to the stranded residents.
An official said that food, medicine and drinking water weighing around 8 to 10 kg are being distributed through the unmanned aerial vehicles to the people trapped in floodwaters. In total more than 15 drones are being used by the authorities to deliver food, medicine and other supplies in the flood-hit areas.
Minister Lokesh said that drones are being used in the relief efforts for the first time adding the UAVs have helped to accelerate the relief measures.
Meanwhile, Navy helicopters, which have already been pressed into service for flood relief operations, are supplying food and fresh water to the trapped people. So far 2,97,500 people have been given food and fresh water as part of the relief measures. NDRF teams are also involved in distributing food and fresh water to the flood victims. The state government has set up 78 resettlement camps in Vijayawada city for the homeless. Officials said that measures have been taken to restore the washed away roads in 17 places across Krishna district. CM Chandrababu Naidu is himself monitoring the relief work.
Heavy Crop Losses
As floodwaters recede in Andhra Pradesh, it has led a trail of destruction in the crop fields with lakhs of acres of crop fields still submerged. As of Monday evening, the officials had initially estimated that 4.67 lakh acres of crops were under water across 20 districts in the state. Most of the damage has been reported from the combined Guntur and Krishna districts. Even in West Godavari districts, the flood has not receded in some places. Besides paddy, the floodwaters have also caused considerable damage to cotton crop with an estimated 65000 acres of cotton fields submerged. Most of the crops were damaged on 32000 acres in NTR district. Due to heavy rains, 25000 acres of maize fields have been submerged in Nandyala district even as banana plantations have also been damaged in NTR district by the heavy rains.
Train Cancellations/Diversions
As the rain waters continue to submerge railway tracks in the twin Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the South Central Railway said that 28 trains have been canceled and some have been diverted. In a statement issued to this effect, CPRO Sridhar said that 496 trains were canceled till Monday and 152 services were diverted. The South Central Railway said that 28 more trains have been canceled.
Relief operations are going on in flood affected areas of Vijayawada city as the authorities have pressed helicopters of the Air force helicopters for distributing food, drinking water and medicines in affected areas.
Meanwhile, floodwaters are gradually receding in Vijayawada with residents in many colonies in Yanamalakudaru returning to their homes. The villages of Lanka breathed a sigh of relief as the flood receded to some extent at the Prakasam Barrage. A second emergency alert continues at Prakasam Barrage.
