The heavy rains in the last few days have left the farmers of Ichhapuram region of Srikakulam district high and dry, with paddy crops in around 600 hectares have been inundated. With the officials lifting the gates of reservoirs as a precautionary measure to prevent flood, the canal water has swelled up on to the fields. The agriculture authorities has deployed drones to assess the severity of possible crop loss.The rain left the Bahuda river overflowing, inundating the nearby paddy fields. “I cultivated paddy in three acres nearby the Padmanabha channel and the crops have grown well. Now my fields have been inundated with the channel overflowing,” said U Neeladri Reddy, a farmer of Innesupeta village. The two-acre paddy fields of P Hari Krishna Reddy from Telukunchi have been submerged with the water overflowing from the brimming Bheema Samudram channel. Agriculture joint director G Rama Rao said that paddy crops in 600 hectares had been inundated in the Ichchapruam region including Kaviti and Kanchili mandals. Source - http://www.newindianexpress.com