Focus shifts to relief distribution as water recedes

With the flood water receding from all towns and villages in the worst-affected districts of Andhra Pradesh, the focus of the government has now shifted to speedy distribution of relief even as the victims started returning home.

Prime minister Manmohan Singh made an aerial survey for the second day today and inspected flood-hit parts of Mahbubnagar and Kurnool districts enroute to Karnataka.

A team of officials from the Centre will visit the affected parts of the state soon to assess the damage, officials here said.

"We have started distributing rice in Krishna, Guntur, Kurnool and Mahbubnagar districts. Special arrangements have been made for providing drinking water through tankers while additional teams of sanitation workers have been sent to Kurnool and other towns for cleaning up the slush," an official of the Disaster Management Department here said.
   
With the fear of cholera and other viral diseases high -- as most villages remained water-logged for more than five days -- medical teams have been put on extra alert to check spread of epidemics.
   
In Bandi Atmakuru in Kurnool district, there was a minor stampede as flood victims scrambled for relief supplies today. One person sustained injuries in the incident and police had to use canes to bring the situation under control.
   
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu has thanked the Prime Minister for the Rs 1000 crore central assistance to the state and pleaded for more funds keeping in view the magnitude of the devastation.