Central team begins Telangana visit to evaluate damage from recent rains

A six-member Central team began its three-day visit to Telangana on Wednesday to visit the flood-affected districts and assess the damage caused in the State due to the recent heavy rains and floods.

Hyderabad: A six-member Central team began its three-day visit to Telangana on Wednesday to visit the flood-affected districts and assess the damage caused in the State due to the recent heavy rains and floods. Led by Joint Secretary for Operations and Communications Col Keerti Pratap Singh, the Central team held discussions with Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari and other officials at the State Secretariat.

The Chief Secretary explained to the Central team about the extensive damage caused by the unprecedented rainfall that occurred between August 31 and September 3. She informed the team that even though the weather alert was received at a very short notice, the administration was on the alert and swift action was taken which minimised loss of human life.

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She said Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy reviewed the situation regularly and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka along with two other Ministers reached Khammam, one of the worst-hit areas, to monitor the relief and rescue operations. Further, funds were also released for immediate relief measures.

The State government urged the Central team to relax the guidelines to enable the state government to extend relief extensively. The ecological disaster of an estimated 50,000 trees spread across around 332 hectares getting uprooted on the night of August 31 following a huge gale and storm and a sudden cloud burst in the forests of Mulugu district, was also highlighted. The Central team was requested to conduct a detailed study to find out the root cause of this unprecedented ecological disaster.

Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) Arvind Kumar said the initial estimates of the damage was pegged at Rs 5,438 crore, while the actual assessment was still going on. Senior officials of agriculture, roads and buildings, municipal administration, panchayat raj and other departments briefed the Central teams on the damage through a PowerPoint presentation.

Earlier, the Central team saw a photo exhibition on the extensive damage caused due to the rains. The team is scheduled to tour the flood-affected districts of Khammam and Mahabubabad districts as well as interact with those affected by the floods as well as the district authorities.