Rescue and relief operations are gaining pace in flood-hit Andhra Pradesh, even as the Indian Air Force sent choppers to assist the State government.
Apart from six choppers, 48 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are part of the relief operations, according to a note released by the AP State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) on Tuesday.
The rescue teams have shifted 43,417 people to rehabilitation centres so far, and efforts are on to shift more people from flooded areas in Vijayawada and other parts of NTR district.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who has been visiting the flooded areas since Sunday morning, is supervising the relief operations from the Collectorate office in NTR district.
A control room, set up by APSDMA, is being manned by eight senior IAS officers round the clock.
Receding waters
Though many areas remain waterlogged, there was some relief as the floodwaters began receding at the Prakasam Barrage on Monday night.
The high alert, however, remains in place amid forecasts for a fresh new cyclone and heavy rainfall from September 5.
In the meantime, vehicular traffic resumed on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada road from Monday night after floodwaters receded from Garikapadu bridge on NH 65.
The South Central Railway (SCR) has been restoring the tracks near Kesamudram (Warangal-Mahabubabad section) and expects to complete it this evening.
