India floods

Over 200 reported dead in floods, Vijayawada city threatened

Article published on the 2009-10-05 Latest update 2009-10-05 14:07 TU

An aerial view shows a flood-affected area of the Jevargi Gulbarga district in Karnataka
(Photo: Retuers/Karnataka Government Information Department/Handout)

The worst floods to hit India since 1972 have so far cost at leat 233 lives and threaten to inundate the Andra Pradesh city of Vijajayawada. Nearly 1.5 million people are homeless, according to officials.

The rains are showing signs of easing, but parts of Vijajayawada are still in danger from overflowing water from the Krishna river. The city is entirely cut off from the state capital, Hyderabad, as police have closed the main road connecting the two.

Thousands of villages downstream, known as "Lanka villages", are covered in water “ranging from four feet to eight or nine feet,” Lakshmana Rao of the Indian Red Cross in Andhra Pradesh, told RFI.

People have been evacuated to higher ground.

“We are using boats in some areas, and some are being evacuated by helicopters,” said Rao, adding that while they are able to reach everyone, some are hesitant to leave.

“Some of them, the problem is they have to leave the house, with all their belongings,” he explained. “Now police people are assuring them that they will protect their property and they can safely leave, and come back once the water recedes.”

Three states are affected:

• Karnataka has the highest death toll, 170, and one million driven from their homes, 200,000 homes destroyed and nearly 1,500 villages partly or completely submerged;
  
• Andhra Pradesh's death toll stands at 37, with more expected in villages that have been cut off from rescue workers - 475,000 people have been evacuated, over 50,000 houses damaged and half a million acres of crops believed to be lost;
  
• Maharashtra's death toll is 26 and thousands have been evacuated from southern coastal areas - State Minister SC Mohanty says the situation is now "close to normal".

Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister P Chidambaral made an observation flight over the affected areas on Monday.

Karnatak Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to declare the floods a "national calamity" and release cash from the National Calamity Contingency Fund to aid people affected by the floods, according to the Times of India.