Flood Fears After Water Leaks From Cracks In Andhra's Biggest Reservoir

Public warnings have been issued asking people to carry essential items, documents, and move to higher locations.

The temple town of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh has been flooded for four straight days now, with fresh fears around cracks developing in of the biggest water reservoirs in the state that's located in the town. No fresh downpour has been reported but breaches on highways and other roads have cut off several villages that still remain inundated.

At Ramachandrapuram in Tirupati, some cracks developed in the bunds around Rayala Cheruvu, one of the oldest and biggest reservoirs in the state, and it started leaking leading to fears there could be a sudden deluge into the surrounding villages. Public warnings have been issued asking people to carry essential items, documents, and move to higher locations. "The bund is in danger of breaking. Please leave as soon as possible. Please leave the village. Please co-operate. Take your valuables and documents and leave. Inform your relatives. The bund is in danger of breaking. Please leave," an official was heard announcing in the area.

In the Chittoor district, a large volume of water from upstream and from Tirumala Hills had led to the Swarnamukhi river going into spate, filling the reservoirs and causing flooding. The soil in the reservoirs has become hyper-saturated with water. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas of the state on Saturday morning.