Relief work picks up in Visakhapatnam; first flood warning on Nagavali and Vamsadhara

Relief and restoration work picked up across Visakhapatnam and neighbouring districts on Friday (September 25, 2026), a day after the deep depression crossed the north Andhra coast. The system brought heavy rain, strong winds and widespread disruption.

The deep depression crossed the coast just southwest of Kalingapatnam between 11 p.m. on Wednesday and 1 a.m. on Thursday. It was expected to weaken gradually over Friday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said.

In Visakhapatnam, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) stepped up the clearance of fallen trees, damaged electric poles and waterlogged roads. Of the 112 trees that fell across the city, 102 had been removed by Friday, and the rest were being cleared. Municipal teams were also working to clear roads and remove debris to restore normal traffic.

The rain eased, and water that had collected on several roads was gradually receding. Several service roads were damaged by the heavy rain and runoff. Preliminary assessments showed that nearly 12 km of GVMC roads had been damaged.

In Alluri Sitharama Raju district, a high alert was sounded in view of overflowing streams and the possibility of further disruption in the Agency areas. A ghat road in Koyyuru mandal, which was damaged by landslips, was restored by the authorities, and officials continued to monitor vulnerable stretches and water crossings.

The flood situation in Srikakulam district came under close watch following heavy inflows into the Nagavali and Vamsadhara rivers.

Home Minister V. Anitha asked officials to watch the rising water levels closely and to maintain close coordination with Odisha authorities to monitor the flood flow, particularly in the upstream areas.

The first flood warning has been issued at the Gotta Barrage on the Vamsadhara and the Narayanapuram anicut on the Nagavali following the increase in inflows.

Officials in mandals vulnerable to inundation have been asked to maintain round-the-clock surveillance and take precautionary measures. The authorities have been instructed to shift people from low-lying areas to safer locations wherever necessary.

State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have already been deployed in the affected districts as part of the precautionary arrangements.

Ms. Anitha appealed to people to follow advisories issued by the local administration and the State government. She cautioned people against entering floodwaters for swimming or fishing, particularly near rivers, streams, barrages and other water bodies where the flow could increase suddenly.