Vijayawada, Sep 2 (IANS): Heavy rains and floods in Andhra Pradesh have so far claimed 15 lives and affected more than 4.48 lakh people across seven districts, officials said on Monday.

Three persons are reported missing in rain-related incidents in NTR district. A total of 19 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 20 teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed for search and rescue operations in the affected districts.

Navy authorities were requested to arrange two helicopters to take up search and rescue operations in the affected areas. One helicopter has already arrived at Vijayawada.

The state government has requested the Centre to arrange six helicopters for airlifting of stranded people and air-dropping food items. It also sought 10 NDRF teams and 40 motorised boats for undertaking search and rescue operations.

Officials said that 80 boats (37 non-motorised and 43 motorised) were arranged to evacuate people from inundated areas in Vijayawada. Another 39 boats from Kakinada, Eluru and Prakasam were on the way to Vijayawada.

Another 64 boats were arranged in Krishna and Bapatla Districts for rescue operations. A total of 276 active swimmers were engaged along with boats for rescue operations.

NTR district accounted for seven deaths including five in landslides in Vijayawada city.

Five people were killed in Guntur district. One teacher and two students in Pedakakani mandal belong to a private school, travelling from Uppalapadu to Namburu were washed away in a local stream.

In Prakasam district, three children died due to drowning.

Agriculture crops over 1.51 lakh hectares in 20 districts have been damaged. Officials said that horticulture crops over 13,920 hectares were also damaged.

The heavy rains and floods have affected 4.48 lakh people. The authorities have opened 166 relief camps, where 31,238 people have been accommodated.

In NTR district alone 2.76 lakh people have been affected by the natural calamity. The authorities have shifted 11,567 people to 67 relief camps.

In Guntur, the second worst-hit district, over 75,000 people have been affected. The authorities shifted 1,462 people to relief camps.

In Eluru district, a total of 30,592 people have been affected. The number of affected in Palnadu district is 25,324. In Bapatla district, heavy rains and floods have affected 30,785 people.