Heavy rain batters AP, TN

Onset of Northeast monsoon in southern states has triggered heavy rain and flash floods in Andhra Pradesh, while districts in Tamil Nadu continue to receive rainfall in the last 24 hours.  The low pressure area over the west-central Bay of Bengal has developed into a well marked low pressure area, as a result of which Coastal districts and Kadapa in Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh have been hit by incessant rain. Nellore, which received about 34.5 mm rains in the last 24 hours, has been heavily hit. Kota, Vakadu, Chittamur, Gudur, Indukurpeta and Vidavalur mandals in the district were lashed by heavy rains, which farmers in the district say is beneficial since it has come in the beginning of the crop season. Meanwhile, the first monsoon rain over Hyderabad on Monday brought the much-needed respite from high temperature for the past few days. Low lying areas in Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation limits were also inundated due to the showers. The coastal city received 31.4 mm rains on day 1 of Northeast monsoon, while Visag airport registered 25 mm rains. Cyclone warning centre in Visakhapatnam warned fishermen not to venture into the sea until further notice. The state government sounded an alert on Tuesday as rains intensified in Krishna, Guntur and East Godavari districts. As per the met office update, heavy rain is expected in all the districts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh and in Kadapa and Chittore districts in Rayalaseema during the next 48 hours. Heavy rain would also occur at isolated places in Rayalaseema and in Mahabubnagar, Rangareddy, Hyderabad, Nalgonda and Khammam districts in Telangana during the same period. Heavy rain also battered Tamil Nadu for the second day due to the monsoon, with the weatherman predicting more downpour in the next 48 hours. The "well marked” low pressure off the Tamil Nadu coast will bring heavy rainfall over coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, besides Andhra Pradesh. The low pressure area is expected to move in north westerly direction. "Since northeast monsoon has been vigorous, isolated heavy rain will occur over North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Telangana and South Interior Karnataka during the next 48 hours", deputy director general of meteorology S R Ramanan said. With strong offshore winds expected to blow from north-westerly to westerly direction off south Tamil Nadu coast at 45-55 kmph, fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea for the next 48 hours. West Bengal, meanwhile, is bidding adieu to monsoon this year despite sporadic rains over Kolkata and south Bengal slowing down the transition from monsoon to winter. Met officials said rains will continue over Kolkata and other places until Wednesday.   Deccan Herald