Kakinada: Personnel from the Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have arrived in Kakinada to assist with rescue operations due to the overflow of the Yeleru Reservoir. Currently, 15 members from the Indian Army and 15 from the NDRF are on the ground in Kakinada district. District revenue officer D. Tippe Naick reported that the NDRF team has been stationed in Gollaprolu mandal, where Jagananna Colony is facing inundation. He noted that the Yeleru Reservoir is receiving heavy inflows from upstream sources, and the possibility of the reservoir’s gates being lifted by Tuesday morning is high. An additional 100 army personnel are expected to arrive in Kakinada to support the rescue efforts. Meanwhile, essential supplies have been provided to 300 families in Jagananna Colony, which remains cut off from the outside due to flooding.
In a press release, the Indian Army indicated that in response to the severe weather conditions and overflow of the Yeleru Reservoir following excessive rainfall on the night of September 8-9, an urgent requisition was initiated for Kakinada. The reservoir breach near Rajupalem villages has caused significant flooding across eight administrative mandals. The Southern Command of the Indian Army received a request for assistance in evacuating residents stranded in their homes. An Army relief column from Vijayawada has been redeployed to Kakinada to enhance the relief efforts. Additionally, columns from the NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are mobilizing from Vijayawada to support the operations.
An advance party from the Army is already en route to the affected areas to assess the situation and coordinate with the Kakinada District Collector. The remaining Army relief columns will move from Vijayawada to Kakinada on Tuesday morning. Heavy plant equipment will also be dispatched from Vijayawada, based on the needs identified by the advance party. Furthermore, four additional Army boats are being sent from Secunderabad to aid in the relief efforts. The response teams are working tirelessly to manage the situation and ensure the safety and well-being of the affected residents.