Red alerts have been sounded for Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, and Khammam, warning of deluges and flash floods.
Published Oct 29, 2025 | 1:08 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 29, 2025 | 1:08 PM
Flooding on a brigde in Gudipalli, Devarakonda.
Synopsis: Telangana is reeling under the spillover fury of severe cyclonic storm Montha. The system unleashed isolated, extremely heavy downpours accompanied by squally winds roaring up to 80 kmph across vast swathes of the state.
Telangana is reeling under the spillover fury of severe cyclonic storm Montha, which lost some of its sting after crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast near Narsapur in the small hours of Wednesday, 29 October.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the system unleashed isolated, extremely heavy downpours — some topping 20 cm — accompanied by squally winds roaring up to 80 kmph across vast swathes of the state.
By midday, torrential rain had turned roads into rivers, paralysed transport, and thrown everyday life out of gear. The cyclone’s impact, which had been gathering steam since Monday with scattered showers, reached a crescendo on Wednesday as the heavens opened over southern and central Telangana.
Hyderabad woke up to a soggy Wednesday, with steady shxowers drenching localities like BHEL, Rajendranagar, Golconda, and Madhapur. Rural districts bore the brunt: Uppununthala in Nagarkurnool logged a staggering 20.8 cm of rainfall, closely followed by Amrabad (19.7 cm). Flood-like conditions gripped Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Khammam, Wanaparthy, Mahabubnagar, and Rangareddy.
The squally weather showed no signs of letting up in Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, and Khammam, where thunder, lightning, and gales kept residents on edge. With up to 20 cm more rain forecast, chaos continues to reign.
Red alerts have been sounded for Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, and Khammam, warning of deluges and flash floods. Orange alerts remain in place for 12 other districts — including Nalgonda, Suryapet, and Warangal — while the rest are under yellow alert. The IMD expects the rains to ease by Thursday evening, though stray heavy spells could drag on till 30 October.
For most residents, Wednesday’s rain was a nightmare that wouldn’t end. In Hyderabad, steady downpours since dawn flooded arterial stretches like the Outer Ring Road, Miyapur, and Uppal, bringing traffic to a grinding halt and forcing commuters to slog through knee-deep water.
Schools and colleges in Khammam, Nalgonda and Mahabubabad remained shut today, with officials hinting at extensions through 30 October if conditions don’t improve. The countryside has it worse — low-lying villages in Suryapet and Jangaon were inundated, forcing families to flee to higher ground.
Interstate connectivity lay in tatters. As many as 100 trains are either cancelled or diverted, while bus services via Vijayawada and Rajahmundry remain grounded, leaving passengers high and dry. Within Telangana, deluged roads in Khammam and Suryapet have cut off NH-65, and heavy vehicles have been off the road since Tuesday night.
Power supply, too, took a hit. Uprooted poles and flooded substations plunged pockets of Khammam and Warangal into intermittent darkness, snuffing out electricity in over 50 villages. Teams from both power distribution companies are racing against time to restore supply, even as gusty winds continue to wreak havoc.
Markets and business hubs shut down early. Traders in Rangareddy lamented heavy losses from water-damaged goods. “We’ve never seen such unseasonal fury this late in the harvest,” sighed a Mahabubnagar shopkeeper, watching rainwater seep into his storeroom.
The Telangana government, on a war footing, has pressed NDRF teams into service. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has reiterated a zero-tolerance stance toward farmer distress, with round-the-clock coordination being handled by Civil Supplies Commissioner Stephen Ravindra.
Ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Tummala Nageswara Rao have directed officials to pull out all the stops to protect crops and farmers alike.
However, the cyclone’s untimely rampage now casts a long, dark shadow over Telangana’s kharif harvest. In Warangal and Khammam — the state’s maize and paddy heartlands — standing crops have taken a beating.
Farmers drying maize seeds in the open fear premature germination if rains persist, with initial loss estimates hovering between 20 percent and 30 percent. Paddy fields in Khammam, where harvesting is underway, are waterlogged, heightening the threat of fungal infections and poor yields.
Telangana’s “white gold” — cotton — faces the worst blow. The relentless rains have pushed moisture levels well above the 12 percent procurement threshold, making it unfit for procurement.
So far, the state has procured 1,80,452 metric tonnes of paddy worth roughly ₹431.09 crore from 22,433 farmers across 4,428 procurement centres. But Wednesday’s deluge forced a halt in flood-hit districts. Meanwhile, soybean arrivals have begun, though maize and jowar remain at risk — still outside the ambit of the Price Support Scheme (PSS).
At a high-level review at the Dr Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resource Development Institute, Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Tummala Nageswara Rao have instructed officials to use tarpaulins to shield paddy stocks, expedite milling and transport, and temporarily pause harvesting in vulnerable areas.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy echoed these directions, insisting that procurement of paddy, cotton, and maize must continue uninterrupted to save farmers from ruin. Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has appealed to the Union government to relax cotton moisture norms up to 20 percent and bring maize and jowar under PSS.
Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, meeting CCI officials in Mumbai, demanded higher MSPs and relief packages, pointing to compounded losses from pest attacks and unseasonal rains. Farmers have been urged to book procurement slots via the Kapas Kisan App and use the toll-free helpline (1800-599-5779) for assistance.
Early surveys paint a grim picture — crops damaged across thousands of hectares. Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said, “This is a farmer-friendly government. We won’t sit quietly, doing nothing. Every grain counts — and every farmer matters.”
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
