Nagavali swells, 10,000 acres of crops lost as floods hit north Andhra districts

The Nagavali was expected to carry about 60,000 cusecs on Friday (September 25, 2026) afternoon, keeping Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Parvathipuram Manyam districts on alert after flash floods in rivers and seasonal streams cut roads and damaged crops across the region.

Initial estimates put the crop damage at more than 10,000 acres in and around Rajam. Banana and vegetable crops were among the worst hit in the three districts, and the government is expected to assess the losses once normalcy returns.

Rain in its catchment along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border has sent heavy inflows into the Nagavali for three days. Vizianagaram Collector S. Ramsundar Reddy, who reviewed the flood situation in the early hours of Friday, told The Hindu that the situation was being closely monitored in Vangara, Regidi Amadalavalasa, Rajam and other areas. The irrigation department was updating inflow figures every hour, he said, and people in low-lying areas of Vangara mandal, where the Madduvalasa reservoir is located, had been moved to safer places.

Flash floods disrupted roads in several parts of Parvathipuram Manyam district, and people in tribal areas were cut off after heavy inflows into the Varahalagadda. In response, the Collector asked officials to move about 158 pregnant women to hospitals and health centres.

Srikakulam Collector Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar said the flood situation was being closely monitored in coordination with officials in Odisha. The Vamsadhara and other rivers were getting inflows from their catchment along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border, he said. Relief camps had been set up and people in the affected areas had been shifted, he added.