Rajahmundry: Union Minister M M Pallam Raju held a meeting with irrigation officials on Sunday and enquired about losses caused to the district due to incessant rains since the past five days.
Raju held a meeting with officials at his residence and directed them to take all necessary steps to provide assistance to farmers affected by rains.
He urged district collector Neetu Kumari Prasad and irrigation officials to speed up modernisation of Yeluru works and spoke to state minister Sudharshan Reddy about it.
"Tehsildars and other officials are monitoring the situation through a special cell set up for the purpose," district collector Neetu Kumari Prasad said.
Water levels rose at Subbarayudu Sagar and Suddagadda in Prathipadu of the district, while Kirlampudi and Gollaprollu zones had been submerged.
People living in low-lying areas have been shifted to safer places and relief camps. So far, 51 relief camps has been set up in 33 zones of the district.
Several trains had to be stopped at Samalkota, Anaparthy, Bikkavolu, Tuni and Annavaram in the district due to water on the tracks of the Byyavaram railway gate in Visakhapatnam.
The South Central Railway (SCR) diverted and cancelled several trains between the Bayyavaram-Narsingapalli route today, a press release issued today by its Vijayawada divisional manager said.
Trains which were cancelled included Nanded-Visakhapatnam Express and Tirupati-Visakhapatnam Tirumala Express.
Other trains such as Hyderabad-Visakhapatnam Godavari Express, Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Garibrath Express, Secunderabad Duranto Express, Secunderabad-Bhubaneswar Visakha Express, Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada Ratnachal Express and Quilon-Visakhapatnam Express have been partially cancelled, the release said.
"In order to clear stranded passengers at Vijayawada Division due to heavy rains, a special train will run between Kakinada and Secunderabad today," the release said.
"Due to suspension of tracks between Ganjam and Balugaon, the East Coast Railway?cancelled and rescheduled trains," the South Central Railway press release said.
Trains cancelled are Mumbai CST-Bhubaneswar Express, Rameshwaram-Bhubaneswar Express and Secunderabad-Howrah Falaknuma Express.
The Chennai-Howrah Express, Chennai-Howrah Express, Guwahati-Bangalore Express, Dibrugarh-Kochuveli and Kochuveli-Hyderabad trains have been rescheduled today, the release said.
