HYDERABAD: Heavy, incessant rains lashed most districts in Telangana on Saturday, giving rise to a flood-like situation in several towns in Warangal, Karimnagar, Nagarkurnool, Rangareddy and Khammam. The downpour also killed a man, whose truck got washed away by floodwaters on the Baswapur bridge in Koheda mandal of Siddipet district — around 40 km from the district headquarters.
Hyderabad, on the other hand, has been receiving light to moderately heavy rainfall from Friday night onwards. The rains in the city and parts of the State are likely to continue on Sunday, with the IMDHyderabad extending the rainfall war ning for the northeastern districts to Sunday.
Taking cognisance of the situation, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao held a review meeting and instructed officials, including Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP M Mahender Reddy and Ministers, to be on high alert.
Two control rooms set up in Hyd; areas along Godavari river vacated
Apart from setting up two control rooms in Hyderabad, Rao also directed the officials concerned to keep two helicopters on standby to rescue those trapped in floodwaters. Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary
held a tele-conference with the Collectors and urged them to reduce the weir height of tanks to prevent any breach. He said a State control room (040-23450624) was also set up and made operational immediately.
Godavari swells
By Saturday afternoon, the Godavari river reached the 45.9-ft flood level mark in Khammam, forcing officials to sound the first warning. The district administration is expecting the flood level to hit 48 feet by Sunday morning, when they would have to air the second warning. Bhadradri-Kothagudem Collector MV Reddy said about four to nine lakh cusecs of water may reach the river from the Medigadda project by early Sunday morning, after which the officials will issue a third danger warning at 4 am in Bhadrachalam. He appealed to the people living in the submergence areas to shift to the flood shelters.
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Also, the Central Water Commission (CWC) recorded heavy inflows from the Pathagudem, Perur and Taliperu projects into the Godavari. In Khammam, several small and big streams such as the Palem Vagu, Pedvagu project, Kinnerasani and Munneru rivers are in spate. The Bhadradri-Kothagudem administration alerted officials and people living in low-lying areas of both sides of the Godavari river.
Drains overflow
Several residential areas in the tri-cities of Warangal, Hanamkonda and Kazipet were inundated as floodwater overflowed from drains. The district administration and Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) authorities evacuated hundreds of people from their houses and shifted them to government buildings.
The citizens were asked to call a toll-free number, 1800 425 1115, for relief measures. S Venkateshwar Rao, a resident of Wadepally, said, “It has become risky to live in our own house for the last two days. Water e n t e red our house on Friday night and all my belongings got damaged”. In neighbouring Mulugu, vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt at Medaram village of Tadvai mandal after the Japannavagu overflowed.
The floodwater entered the Sammakka Saralamma temple’s sanctum. The incessant rains in Mahabubabad district have exceeded farmers’ expectations. As against the average rainfall of 286.8 mm, the district has, so far, registered 562.3 mm of precipitation. In the last 24 hours, it registered 18 mm of rainfall, filling up all the tanks and ponds. Karimnagar, one of the districts to receive the most rainfall on Saturday, was plunged into chaos as people’s lives were disrupted. The highest rainfall was recorded at Huzurabad (195 mm).
Chaos in Karimnagar
Karimnagar, one of the districts to receive the most rainfall on Saturday, plunged into chaos and normal life was disrupted. Five villages, including Venkapalli, are cut off due to the floods, while farms at
Maktapalli village got submerged due to an overflowing water tank
KCR swings into action
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao held a review meeting on Saturday and instructed officials,
including Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP M Mahender Reddy and Ministers concerned, to be on high alert