Heavy rains in AP Flood Amaravati, Revive Haunting Memories of Budameru Deluge

Heavy rains lashed Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, once again leaving the capital city of Amaravati submerged. An average rainfall of 145 mm pounded the city, triggering massive waterlogging and bringing vehicular movement to a standstill.

The deluge was caused by the overflowing of the Kotella stream in Pedaparimi, Erravagu, Ayyana stream, and Pala stream at Kanteru. Ongoing construction activity in the capital region has severely disrupted the natural flow of water downstream. The swollen Kondaveeti Vagu, already notorious for flooding, was particularly impacted, with water unable to drain away — inundating thousands of acres of farmland.

On Tuesday night (August 12), Tadikonda mandal recorded a staggering 225 mm of rainfall, followed by 194.8 mm in Mangalagiri, 180.2 mm in Thullur, 140.2 mm in Medikondur, and 111.2 mm in Firangipuram. Normally, rainwater from Medikondur, Tadikonda, Thullur, and Tadepalli mandals flows into the Prakasam Barrage. However, the Rs 234-crore Kondaveeti Vagu lift irrigation scheme, initiated by the previous TDP government to clean the stream, has failed to ensure an unhindered flow.

Kondaveeti Vagu, often referred to as the "Stream of Sorrow," has a long history of submerging 13,500 acres during floods, of which 10,600 acres lie within the core capital zone. This time, the road leading to the High Court and the under-construction officials’ quarters at Nalapadu were completely inundated.

Local farmers blamed the floods on the State government’s negligence in ensuring proper downstream water management.

Meanwhile, the crisis deepened with rising inflows into the Prakasam Barrage from upstream areas, reaching 4 lakh cusecs. Authorities issued the first flood warning and lifted all 70 gates to release water downstream. Residents in low-lying areas have been placed on high alert.

The Budameru Rivulet has also overflowed, stoking fears among nearby communities. The situation has drawn parallels with the flash floods of 2024, when Vijayawada was caught unprepared in the middle of the night, suffering severe damage from breaches caused by relentless rain.

The latest spell of flooding in Amaravati underscores a critical failure in urban planning and flood management in the capital region. Without urgent and coordinated measures to restore natural drainage, regulate construction, and strengthen flood-control infrastructure, the "Stream of Sorrow" will continue to live up to its name — with devastating consequences for both rural livelihoods and urban safety.