"Huge and heavy" Rains Lash Bay of Bengal Coast

July 1, 2016 UPDATE: Last night, Fr. Varghese texted that the "rain is still pouring revengefully." This morning he wrote, "My food also getting over...pray for us." 

On Fr. V's compound, monsoon
waters collect.

He and other volunteers are going out, "distributing cooked food packets for our Catholic flock," wrote Father, but supplies are scarce.

The crisis started to unfold a few days ago. "Pray for us," texted this pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Kakinada. "Heavy rain and wind in our area. Just check the weather. We are asked not to go out."

His following day's report was that "The water is increasing...We are fine. but no power and shops. Only storage food to eat."

The crisis intensified overnight, and next morning, Fr. Varghese texted: "Poor people in my area" are "really on bad condition. Their huts are washed away."
Fr. Varghese shared photos taken on his compound and a few pages from local newspapers, highlighting the floods.

Area waterways are overflowing
their banks.

"The government is trying to do something but it is not reaching" all the "poor and needy," wrote Fr. Varghese.

At Sacred Heart Church and the
region, heavy rains continue.

"Widespread Rains in Andhra Pradesh," announced the East Godavari Sakshi news: "There is a huge and heavy rainfall," and the India Meteorological Department in Hyderabad announced it would continue for the next 48 hours.

Photos by Fr. Varghese Kalapurakudy