Anantapur: The main rail and road connectivity connecting the state to the south and east was cut off on Sunday due to the devastation caused by the Penna river overflowing in Andhra Pradesh. Chennai-Kolkata NATIONAL HIGHWAY-16 in SPS Nellore district had to be closed for vehicles after the road was submerged at Padugupadu. At least 17 express trains have been cancelled on the Chennai-Vijayawada route due to flood water on railway tracks in Padugupadu. Three other trains were partially cancelled or diverted.

The disaster management authority of the state said that more than two lakh cusecs of floodwater were washed away from Somasila reservoir in SPS Nellore district which submerged the area. This has also blocked NH-16 at Kowuru. Thereafter, traffic on NH-16 between Nellore and Vijayawada was cancelled leaving hundreds of trains stranded for several kilometres. Hundreds of people were stranded at the Nellore RTS bus station due to the blocking of bus services.

Officials said that the trains coming from Srikalhasti were stopped at the Totembedu check post and their route was diverted through Pamuru and Darsi. The bridge over River Papagni in Kadapa district collapsed at Kamalapuram, breaking road connectivity between Kadapa and Anantapurmu districts. He said the bridge collapsed due to floods from Veligullu reservoir. The three-storey building collapsed in Kadapa city in the early hours of Sunday but there was no damage as the occupants had come out safely minutes before the incident. The mother and a child trapped on the second floor were rescued by police and firemen.

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