The flood situation in several districts of the state continues to remain grim on Saturday with the Godavari flowing above the danger mark at Bhadrachalam and Dowlaiswaram inundating over 200 villages.
Two helicopters of Indian Air Force (IAF) were pressed into service for rescue and relief work in Karimnagar, one of the worst affected districts, while another chopper is ready for rescue operations in Khammam district.
The heavy rain for the last few days have battered several Telangana districts of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam and Nizamabad claiming about 11 lives.
A total of 2,885 houses were damaged while 222 villages including 114 in Adilabad have been affected.
As many as 35-40 villages were marooned in Karimnagar district. The IAF helicopters are dropping food, water packets and medicines in the affected villages. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have reached Khammam for rescue work as 40 villages remained marooned. Though rains have started receding in north Telangana, Godavari is still in spate due to overflowing rivulets and huge inflows from the upstream.
The water level in Godavari at Bhadrachalam remained at 56.6 feet on Saturday afternoon. Oficials have issued a third warning. Godavari at Dowleswaram is flowing at 15 ft and second warning was issued on Saturday morning. Several low-lying areas in and around the temple town of Bhadrachalam were inundated.
The deluge triggered by the Godavari has affected around 160 villages in Bhadrachalam and Palvancha mandals. The water level in Godavari crossed the 16 metres mark at Dowleswaram, flooding villages in both East and West Godavari districts. In East Godavari district, authorities have shifted 1,500 people to safer places. The state government has already deputed special officers to the affected districts and set up help centres to monitor rescue and relief work.
Meanwhile chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy directed the officials of all departments concerned that relief work should continue on a war footing and adequate field staff should be kept ready.
He held a review meeting with ministers and officials at the Secretariat on the rescue and relief works.
The Army and Air officials assured the chief minister that three more helicopters are ready and would be deployed wherever required.
The chief minister directed the APTransco to restore power in the flood-hit areas. He asked minor irrigation department to take up repairs of breaches of minor tanks and also strengthen the weakened tanks and bunds of streams and rivers.
Officials informed the chief minister that two helicopters were already making continuous sorties with food and water packets in the flood-affected areas at Bhadrachalam and Mancherial.
Police, fire and other emergency departments were put on alert. Nine NDRF units with boats are already deployed for relief operations.