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Nellore:Heavy rains are lashing Tirumala, with dense fog covering the Seshachalam hills. In view of the bad weather, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has announced several precautionary measures to ensure the safety of devotees.The Srivari Paadalu and Papavinasanam routes have been temporarily closed due to the risk of tree-falls. TTD’s Vigilance wing has stepped up patrols on both ghat roads. A disaster response team has been linked to the command control room for round-the-clock monitoring.TTD is providing hot meals (annaprasadam) to devotees and ensuring that those without tokens reach the shelter sheds safely.Coconut-fiber mats have been laid along the temple’s Mada streets to prevent devotees from slipping. Raincoats have been distributed to all staff and workers on duty.Continuous heavy rains lashed Tirupati city, flooding several low-lying areas. Waterfalls near Malwadi Gundam and Kapilatheertham on the first ghat road were overflowing with strong currents.Large volumes of rainwater have accumulated under the flyover near Tirupati East police station and the West Church railway under-bridge, forcing officials to suspend traffic in these areas.District collector Venkateswarlu has asked NDRF, police and fire department to stay on high alert. The weather office has warned that, under the influence of a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, two to three more spells of heavy rain are likely in the coming days.Meanwhile, under the influence of a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, widespread rains are also affecting Ongole city. Several roads—including Kurnool Road, Kothapatnam Road, Saibaba Temple Road, Addanki Bus Stand area, and Guntur Road—are flooded, causing severe inconvenience to commuters.The authorities have advised the public to stay alert and avoid unnecessary travel until weather conditions improve.In SPSR Nellore district, access to Kammavaripalem village in Anantasagaram mandal has been lost after the road was inundated by water from the Somasila North Canal. Similarly, rising water levels in the Midatha stream between Satyavolu and Agraram have halted traffic between Kavali and Kondapuram.The Boggeru and Yerravanka streams in Sangam mandal are also overflowing, further disrupting local connectivity.The authorities have warned drivers about the rising water levels and advised residents to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.
