Vijayawada:

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been putting in all efforts to work for the relief of flood-ravaged people in the state, which also included surveying a swollen rivulet from a railway bridge when a train whizzed by.

Following the unprecedented torrential downpours and floods in Vijayawada, Mr Naidu made multiple visits to the flood-hit places to personally supervise the relief work.

Mr Naidu was assessing the flood situation firsthand from atop a small railway bridge in Vijayawada over a gushing rivulet-like water body on Thursday, accompanied by several officials and NSG commandos.

During that time, a train whizzed by, and the 74-year-old, standing by the bridge’s railing on a narrow platform very close to the moving train, was unperturbed.

Passengers from the speeding train cheered his fieldwork, who had been wading through floodwaters and riding on boats and bulldozers to inspect the relief work.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The Indian Air Force is providing relief materials to people stranded in their homes in flood-hit areas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The water level has started receding in parts of the states but flooding remains.

The Indian Air Force has deployed Mi-17, Chetak helicopters and C-130J, IL-76 transport aircraft for its Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. Yesterday, the Indian Air Force airlifted over 300 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel into affected areas and 60,000 kg of life-sustaining material was dropped.

A video showed a Mi-17 hovering a few feet above the roof of a house in Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada and a man standing on the roof collecting supplies.

आंध्र प्रदेश : विजयवाड़ा के बाढ़ प्रभावित इलाकों में भारतीय वायुसेना ने राहत सामग्री पहुंचाई. #Vijayawada | #IndianAirforce | #Floodpic.twitter.com/MAo4DpilFm

— NDTV India (@ndtvindia) September 4, 2024

In another video, an Indian Air Force Mi-17 chopper, the backbone of the force’s relief and rescue operations and has served in active combat, dropped relief material to people who were desperately waiting for supplies.

IAF brings relief to flood struck areas in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, by inducting NDRF teams and essentials from across the country.
The HADR operations which began on 02 Sep 24, saw use of IAF’s IL-76, C-130J, Mi-17s and Chetaks in positioning 332 NDRF personnel in the… pic.twitter.com/T8vc4LFoRa

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) September 3, 2024

Roads are submerged and life has come to a standstill in flood-affected areas of both states. The death count has risen to 32 in Andhra Pradesh and over 45,000 people have been moved to relief camps.

NTR district, which houses Vijayawada, the most affected, accounted for 24 deaths; Guntur (seven) and Palnadu (one), according to an official release.

Meanwhile, a new weather system is developing over the Bay of Bengal Sea.

According to the India Meteorological Department, light to moderate rainfall is very likely at many places of north coastal Andhra Pradesh from September 4 to 8, and also over South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) from Wednesday to Friday.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting with bankers and insurance company representatives to request them to settle insurance claims on damaged vehicles and others in 10 days, and also resolve them in a fortnight.

In Telangana, At least 16 people lost their lives in various rain-related incidents as heavy downpours lashed several parts of the state. The Telangana government seeking immediate assistance of Rs 2,000 crore from the Centre for flood relief measures. 

However the union government has pointed out that the state government did not submit requisite information for the release of funds. It said over Rs 1,345 crore was available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) account as of April 1 this year for flood relief measures during 2024-25.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Centre is closely monitoring the current flood situation in Andhra Pradesh and has constituted a team of experts that will visit the flood-affected areas of the state for an on-the-spot assessment and make recommendations for immediate relief.

Amaravati:

At least 17 people in Andhra Pradesh have so far been killed in rain-related incidents and subsequent floods, that have left lakhs of people scampering for daily needs in several districts. The worst affected districts included Vijayawada, NTR, Guntur, Krishna, Eluru, Palnadu, Bapatla, and Prakasam, where thousands of acres of crops have been submerged.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the recent torrential rain and floods in Andhra Pradesh is the “biggest disaster” he has witnessed in the state in his political career.

“We had some events like Hudhud hurricane and Titli cyclone but compared to these, here the human suffering and property loss is the biggest,” he told a press conference on Monday.

How Drones Are Assisting In Andhra Floods

The state government and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have now started dropping food packets, water bottles, and other necessities for people in flood-affected areas via drones.

Earlier, drones were only used to get an aerial view of disaster-hit areas. But now, they have made the job easier, faster, and more efficient, saving fuel for choppers that were used before in relief and rescue operations.

Drones have made reporting stories from flood-hit areas that much more dramatic; aerial visuals from #Mahbubabad district #MaripeduMandal purushottamayyagudem bridge; #drones give more comprehensive view & can help in delivery of essentials #DronesInFloods#ReportingOnFloodspic.twitter.com/RAGREbrgUR

— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) September 2, 2024

Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh said the state government has for the first time deployed drones to deliver relief materials and food to flood-affected people.

“This has made relief operations more efficient and quick,” he wrote on X and shared a video of a drone delivering a food packet.

The GoAP, under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri @ncbn Garu, has for the first time ever deployed drones to deliver relief materials and food to our flood-affected people. This has made relief operations more efficient and quick.#APGovtWithFloodVictims… pic.twitter.com/AfwuFKg4J8

— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) September 2, 2024

Mr Naidu said eight to nine drones were used to deliver food packets — which also included biscuits, fruits, milk, and medicines — to 10,000 people on Monday and assured that up to 35 more drones would be deployed on Tuesday.

In some cases, drones were also used to drop life jackets to people stranded in flooded areas. A boy was able to come out of a flood area because of that life jacket in the Khammam district.