Incessant rain continued in Ongole and other parts of Prakasam district as northeast monsoon intensified on Saturday, which flooded the rivulets in Giddalur of western Prakasam. The downpour left hundreds of acres of standing crop, including paddy, banana, maize and bengal gram across six mandals, covered in a sheet of water.
Due to drought conditions earlier, the farmers, who had raised crops with bore well water, urged the State government to bail them out by releasing input subsidy to raise crops afresh during Rabi season. Agriculture Joint Director S. Srinivasa Rao said that a survey would be undertaken to assess the extent of crop damage.
The current rains are, however, beneficial to farmers in eastern Prakasam who could raise winter crops including bengal gram and tobacco; the wet spell also enabled the drought-prone district to bring down the rainfall deficit to 18%. The district registered 412.8 mm rainfall as against the normal rainfall of 704.2 mm, according to the data compiled by the Andhra Pradesh State Planning Society (APSPS).
Meanwhile, police ramped up security at the Bhairavakona Waterfalls, considering the safety of the pilgrims, who rush to the ancient rockcut Siva temple during the auspicious Karthika Masam, particularly on the full moon day.
Ponnalur recorded a maximum rainfall of 87.7 mm followed by Kumarole 74.5 mm, Ambavaram 73.5 mm, Kovilampadu 37.5 mm, Cumbum 37.2 mm, Nagulavaram 36.5 mm, Guruvajipeta 33.7 mm, Veligandla 33 mm, Chandrasekharapuram 32.7, Konakanamitla 30.2 mm and Kanigiri 29 mm.
The Indian Meterological Department (IMD) predicted heavy rains under the influence of a weather system in the Bay of Bengal from November 27.
