Hyderabad, August 20: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has today issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh in the next 48 hours. The department has also predicted moderate rains in certain parts of the state. According to IMD, Andhra’s northern coastal received heavy rainfall in last 24 hours. Yesterday, even some parts of Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari received heavy to very heavy rainfall.

Talking to media, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said that the state was receiving heavy rainfall for past few days. He also mentioned that Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari and Krishna were the most affected areas due to heavy rainfall and floods. The chief minister further said that 16 relief camps were set up and 6330 people had been shifted to the camps in Eluru, Kovvur, Narasapur and Kukkunoor.

Meanwhile, Kerala is reeling under floods caused by heavy and incessant rains. Around 400 people have lost their lives due to floods. The death toll may rise as there is a danger of spreading of an epidemic in the flood-hit areas. The Indian Armed Forces along with National Disaster Response Team (NDRF) have launched the Operation Madad to evacuate people stranded in floods to safer locations. The centre has declared the floods in the state as the ’calamity of severe nature’.

Even some parts of Karnataka are affected by floods. Around 4,320 people have been rescued from Kodagu district of the state and were shifted to 41 relief camps. The unabated rains, leading to flooding and landslips, have claimed eight lives so far in the district

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2018 12:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).