Overview
- Water from the Oluru Rayala Cheruvu tank burst through a breached bund early Thursday, inundating Pudi, Patapalem, Kalatturu, Rajulakandriga and Arundhatiwada.
- Police evacuations and rooftop refuge prevented human casualties, though roughly 500 houses were submerged and many residents lost livestock and belongings.
- District officials plugged the breach, monitored levels and warned residents, with the Kalangi reservoir gates opened and engineers poised to release water at Krishnapuram.
- Hundreds of acres of paddy, chilli and tomato fields were destroyed as the tank, full the previous night, rapidly emptied into downstream channels.
- The collector pledged compensation for livestock losses and damaged homes, relief camps were ordered, an MP announced Rs 20 lakh for immediate aid, and farmers pressed claims they had warned about the bund’s condition.