IMD has issued a red alert for 11 districts in south and east Telangana. The districts are also prone to flooding, as the Godavari River flows through them.
Published Sep 01, 2024 | 11:38 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 01, 2024 | 9:29 PM
Heavy rains damaged railway tracks in Telangana. (X)
Heavy widespread rains lashed many parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Saturday, 31 August, and Sunday, 1 September, leading to the inundation of low-lying areas and disruption of road links between villages in some places.
Nine people from Andhra Pradesh and two people from Telangana have lost their lives due to the floods and landslides caused by the rains.
While five people, including three women, were killed in landslides in Vijayawada, three people were swept away by floodwaters in Guntur.
The landslides were reported from Mogalrajapuram in Vijayawada. Boulders that rolled down in the torrential rain fell on the houses, killing the people. Following the incident, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh each to the families of the deceased.
The IMD has issued a red alert for 11 districts—Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, Jogulamba Gadwal, Mahbubabad, Jangaon districts—in the south and east Telangana. The districts are also prone to flooding, as the Godavari River flows through them.
The India Meteorological Department predicted more heavy-to-very-heavy rains in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, triggered by a well-marked low-pressure area over the Westcentral and Northwest Bay of Bengal off the North Andhra coast, intensified into a depression.
Several parts of southern Telangana have received more than 40 cm of rain in the last 24 hours, with Kakarvai in Khammam District receiving the highest 521 mm (52 cm).
Apart from the inundation of low-lying areas, railway tracks have also been damaged across Telangana. Railway tracks in Kesamudram in Mahbubabad, and Mathampally in Suryapet were swept away due to the flood waters.
The South Central Railways has cancelled eight trains to and from Secunderabad railway station due to heavy water-logging on the tracks. Two rains, from Tirupati and Vishakapatnam have also been partially cancelled. The SCR has also diverted 26 trains, which departed on Saturday.
#Telanganarains: South Central Railway has cancelled 8 trains to and from #Secunderabad station due to heavy rains and waterlogging on the tracks.
Additionally, 2 trains, from #Tirupati and #Vishakapatnam have been partially cancelled.
SCR has also diverted 26 trains, most of… pic.twitter.com/M60wAOBGTZ
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) September 1, 2024
In Telangana, a mother and daughter died due to heavy rains in the Ekkamedu village of Maddur Mandal in Mahabubnagar district. The deceased, Hanmamma (75) and her second daughter Anjulamma (38), were living together after the death of Anjulamma’s husband. Maddur Mandal falls under the Kodangal constituency, which is represented by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
Mahbubabad is among the worst-affected districts. It recorded an average of 200 mm of rainfall, leading to the flood water sweeping away many houses and roads.
In Venkatapuram village of Nekkonda Mandal, on the Warangal-Mahabubabad road, the Topanapalli pond overflowed, disrupting vehicular traffic. An RTC bus was stuck in floodwaters on the embankment, with passengers pleading with their relatives and authorities for rescue, stating they had been stranded since last night.
#TelanganaRains: Rivers are overflowing in Mahabubabad district due to heavy rain. In Venkatapuram village of Nekkonda Mandal, on the Warangal-Mahabubabad road, the Topanapalli pond overflowed, disrupting vehicular traffic. An RTC bus got stuck in the floodwaters on the… pic.twitter.com/1gtw2W8fgV
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) September 1, 2024
Heavy rains also lashed the city since Saturday night, bringing Hyderabad to a standstill.
IMD on Sunday predicted that Hyderabad city will receive moderate to heavy rain and thundershowers accompanied by gusty winds up to 40-50 kmph. It also said that flooding and inundation will be caused by low-lying areas while water pooling will be on the roads.
The Hussain Sagar Lake reached its FTL of 513.6m on Sunday morning after the heavy rains on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
GHMC said that respective teams are monitoring water levels at Hussain Sagar closely to ensure safety and preparedness.
#TelanganaRains: The Hussain Sagar lake in #Hyderabad reached its FTL of 513.6m on Sunday morning after the heavy rain in #Telangana.
GHMC said that Respective teams are monitoring water levels at Hussain Sagar closely to ensure safety and preparedness. pic.twitter.com/YJzd1IsXno
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) September 1, 2024
HYDRAA officials also predicted scattered rains are expected in the entire city until evening. They further noted that citizens may dial 040-21111111 or 9000113667 for GHMC-DRF assistance.
Meanwhile the GHMC officials are clearing the waterlogging and other hindrances caused by rains.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy asked officials of all government departments to be alert in view of the heavy rains and to take measures to prevent any untoward incidents. He also suggested shifting people of the low-lying areas to the relief camps immediately.
The officials have been asked to vacate people in the low-lying areas to safer places In view of the lifting of the gates of reservoirs, an official release said.
As per the Chief Minister’s instructions, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari and DGP Jitender held a teleconference with the Collectors, SPs and other officials of all districts.
The officials have been asked to review the situation on the ground from time to time and take necessary action, the release said.
The Chief Secretary directed the district Collectors to take precautions to avoid any loss of life and property as the Meteorological department warned of heavy rains for two days across the state.
She instructed that control rooms be opened in every district Collector’s office as well as in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and state Secretariat, an official release said.
She suggested that an officer should be specially appointed to supervise the overflowing streams.
The CS said the district Collectors can take the decision to declare a holiday for schools in view of the rains.
She also said an advance plan for evacuating people from flood-affected areas and setting up relief camps should be prepared.
Besides taking appropriate measures to prevent contamination of tanks, chlorination should be taken up to prevent the spread of diseases, the Chief Secretary said.
Noting that teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are currently stationed in Hyderabad and Vijayawada, she said these teams can be deployed if required.
Incessant rains lashed several places in Andhra Pradesh including Vijayawada in the last 24 hours.
In the 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Saturday, Vijayawada city received 18 cm rainfall. The city continued to receive rain on Saturday also.
Earlier, Vijayawada Municipal Commissioner HM Dhyanachandra said multiple teams from the civic body were working towards diverting water from inundated roads back into canals using pumps.
He further said 22 places in the city were affected, where the civic body teams have been working since 4 am to divert the water and observed that rain water has also entered into houses in a couple of wards prone to flooding. Incessant rainfall was affecting relief operations, he added.
Meanwhile, he said all the community halls in the city were opened to accommodate the affected people. Food and drinking water were arranged for them.
Besides Vijayawada, Machilipatnam also received 18 cm rainfall, followed by Gudivada (17 cm), Kaikaluru (15 cm), Narasapuram (14 cm), Amaravati (13 cm), Mangalagiri (11 cm) and Nandigama and Bhimavaram (11 cm each).
Several other places across the state registered rainfall between 1 cm and 9 cm, according to data shared by the Meteorological Department.
Several roads in Guntur town and also the Kaza toll plaza between Vijayawada and Guntur were inundated with rainwater.
Roads are inundated and waterlogged in many towns across the state due to heavy rain, throwing normal life out of gear.
The Chief Minister is closely monitoring the situation with regular teleconferences with officials as three days of heavy rains have been forecast.
He directed the entire government machinery to be on alert and called for coordination between the Irrigation and Revenue Departments to monitor ponds.
Earlier, Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) managing director R Kurmanadh said parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh will receive heavy rainfall today, accompanied by strong surface winds.
Isolated places in Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram, Parvatipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Visakhapatnam districts are expected to receive heavy rain, he said.
He cautioned people to be wary of overflowing canals and streams, including uprooted power lines and low-lying areas.
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula with inputs from Sumit Jha).
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