HYDERABAD: As incessant rains continued to batter Telangana for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday, several parts of the State are grappling with the impact of floods. Rivers, lakes, tanks and streams are overflowing, disrupting normal life and damaging property. Also, major roads connecting several villages and towns are submerged. Fields, too, are flooded, and rainwater has entered houses.
An octogenarian woman and her 45-year-old daughter died in Telkapalli mandal of Nagarkurnool after their mud house collapsed due to the rains. In Kumarambheem-Asifabad district, three fishermen got stuck in the overflowing Belgam stream and were rescued by police after several hours.
The non-stop downpour has increased inflows in several reservoirs such as the Narayanpur, Jurala, Mid Manair, Lower Manair, Kaddam and Sripada Yallampally, which are nearing their maximum capacity. This is pushing the district administrations concerned to get control rooms working and issue alerts to people living near or in the downstream areas of the reservoirs.
According to the Central Water Commission, the Godavari river is in full spate in Telangana. Its water levels have either crossed or reached the danger mark at Bhadrachalam, Dummugudem and Eturunagaram. While the danger mark at these locations is 48.7 m, 55 m and 75.8 m respectively, the level on Sunday was 49.4 m, 55.7 m and 75 m.
This is expected to rise further. Mulugu, nearby Bhupalpally and Bhadrachalam districts are affected by the swelling Godavari. Venkatapuram and Alubaka in Mulugu received the highest rainfall of 224 mm in just 24 hours till 8.30 am on Sunday. District and police officials started to shift tribals from a few marooned villages near the banks of the Godavari to safer areas.
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Several roads, including the NH-163, have been cut off in Mulugu and the popular Laknavaram suspension bridge is under water. In Bhadrachalam, the district officials started to evacuate the residents of Kotha Colony to a relief camp at a school. Warangal city also faced the wrath of the heavy monsoon rains.
An NDRF team of 20 personnel carried out rescue operations in the inundated localities. Warangal (Urban) Collector Rajeev Gandhi Hanumanthu said around 2,600 people have been shifted to 13 rehabilitation centres in the city limits. But not much relief work can be carried out on Monday, as the IMD has forecast heavy rains at isolated places across Telangana.
Godavari in full spate
According to the Central Water Commission, the Godavari is in full spate in TS. The river’s water levels have either crossed or reached the danger mark in many areas
Several villages cut off
Several villages are marooned and major roads between villages and towns cut off. Agricultural fields are flooded in many areas, and rainwater has entered houses
13 villages flooded
Water from Godavari river has flooded 13 villages in the East Godavari district of AP. More than 1,800 people have been shifted to seven rehabilitation centres
350 houses damaged
About 350 houses have been damaged. With water levels of Godavari set to increase, authorities are on high alert. Five NDRF teams have been deployed