HYDERABAD: Even as the Godavari river has started to recede, the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) warning of heavy rains in several parts of Telangana came as a jarring development to the people in certain towns and villages, who are are already reeling under its impact.
In the last eight days, Telangana received 238 per cent more rainfall than normal, according to the Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS). The IMD on Tuesday said heavy rains are very likely at isolated places in the districts of Adilabad, Asifabad, Nirmal, Mancherial, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Jagtial, Sircilla, Peddapalli, Karimnagar, Bhupalpally, Mulugu and Warangal (Urban and Rural).
Third flood warning for Godavari withdrawn
Meanwhile, the Godavari slowly began to recede on Monday night, and on Tuesday, officials withdrew the third flood warning when the water level dropped to 52 ft. The third warning is given when the river flows above 61 ft. Sources at the Central Water Commission (CWC) said the water level is receding gradually and it will reach the first warning level in the early hours of Wednesday. The Godavari crossed the third warning level of 53 ft at Bhadrachalam after six years. The last time this happened was on September 8, 2014, when it touched 56.1 ft.
The maximum flood level was recorded at Pushkar Ghat on August 16, 1986, when the water reached 75.6 ft, the Central Water Commission officials said. Meanwhile, the district administration shifted 5,000 flood victims to 35 relief camps. Collector MV Reddy inspected the relief camps and monitored the relief works. Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) Project Officer P Goutham and Kothagudem Zilla Parishad Chairman K Kanakaiah inspected the relief camps at Bhadrachalam and interacted with the flood victims.