Andhra Pradesh was hit by heavy rains after a low depression area was formed over the Bay of Bengal. Amid heavy showers, a family in the state’s Chittoor district crossed a canal to complete the last rites of a man.

Fifty-three-year-old Shankar from Kasturi Nayudu Kandriga in Chittoor, died yesterday. Very heavy rainfall was predicted over the state by the weather department. To perform the last rites, the family had to cross the canal to reach the cremation site.

Holding the bier on their shoulders, the man’s family and people from his village waded through waist-deep water. Two men stayed ahead, directing the rest who were holding the bier. A man was seen holding an earthen pot in his hand for the cremation.

The villagers have demanded a bridge be built to prevent such difficulties in the future.

The well-marked low-pressure area over the southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved west to northwestwards and intensified into a depression on Tuesday evening, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The IMD had forecast vigorous monsoon activity in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on Tuesday, with fairly widespread rainfall distribution.

The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) noted that parts of West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna and NTR districts were likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Tuesday.

It had also predicted a similar weather pattern for Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Prakasam, Nellore, Nandyala, Annamayya, Chittoor, Tirupati and Kurnool districts.

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.