Rain hits festive-eve shopping in Vizag

Hitting normal life, incessant rain since Monday (25 August 2025) had its impact on the Ganesh Chaturthi festive-eve shopping in Visakhapatnam. The rain, a result of the existing low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, makes people buy puja material for Vinayaka Chaturthi in a hurry under the umbrella.

Cursing the rain for affecting their business, roadside vendors of idols, puja material and other peripherals find it difficult to keep the items away from drenching. Inundation of several low-lying areas brings the number of stalls down this year.

However, despite dull business due to the rain, the vendors have not reduced the rates. Those shopping for Ganesh Chaturthi in Visakhapatnam observe that prices of essentials for the puja are high as usual. Each coconut is being sold for Rs 40 to Rs 50, while bananas cost about Rs 100 to Rs 120 a dozen. Similarly, the cost of flowers ranges from Rs 80 to Rs 100 per 100 grams.

Even as the incessant rain continues to drench the city, the IMD forecasts heavy rain in the next 48 hours under the influence of the existing low-pressure area.

Meanwhile, State Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, while holding a review meeting with officials in Visakhapatnam on 26 August, directed them to set up control rooms and alert the people in low-lying areas.

Ground-level officials should be available round the clock, said the Home Minister.

Read also: Relentless rains to continue in Visakhapatnam

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This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu