HYDERABAD/KHAMMAM/ ADILABAD: The monsoon continued to remain proactive over various parts of Telangana for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday, throwing normal life out of gear in many districts and flooding low-lying areas. The incessant rains resulted in overflowing lakes, tanks, and other water bodies.
Khammam, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Jangaon, Adilabad, and other districts experienced copious rainfall, bringing much-needed relief to regions that had earlier reported deficit rainfall. However, the incessant rains triggered floods in low-lying areas, necessitating rescue measures.
While the rains lashed most parts of Telangana, Hyderabad and its outskirts found temporary relief with the sun breaking out from over the clouds intermittently.
Godavari rises, again
In contrast, tension mounted for residents of Bhadrachalam town after the water level in the Godavari started rising again. After dipping to 39 ft on Friday, the water level rose again to 41 ft on Saturday morning, and officials predict it will reach the 43 ft mark by nightfall, crossing the first warning level.
Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar attributed this to heavy inflows from catchment areas upstream. The incessant downpour wreaked havoc in the erstwhile Adilabad district, with widespread flooding impacting both urban and rural areas.
The overflowing Penganga River damaged hundreds of acres of soybean and cotton crops. Key transportation links, including low-level and high-level bridges, were inundated, cutting off access to numerous villages.
Villages on the banks of Penganga in Jainath, Bela, Tamsi, and Bheempur mandals bore the brunt of the rising water levels due to heavy inflows from Maharashtra.
TSDPS predicts more rains for next three days across State
Locals found an unidentified near the Bandlguda Vagu, the cause of death remaining unclear. In another incident, three people stranded in the middle of the river were successfully rescued after a two-hour ordeal.
Reviewing the situation, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao directed officials to stay vigilant and take proactive measures to prevent any loss of life.
The Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS) issued a forecast warning of light to moderate rain and thundershowers at multiple locations, with isolated areas likely to experience heavy rains over the next three days. Hyderabad also received a similar forecast of light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers at various spots.