Cyclone Montha batters Telangana; One killed, another missing as floods disrupt life across districts

Cyclone Montha unleashed widespread destruction across Telangana on Wednesday, bringing torrential rains to Warangal, Nalgonda, and Khammam districts. Overflowing streams, submerged roads, and disrupted railway services crippled normal life. Two people died in separate incidents caused by heavy rains. Reservoirs including Yellampalli and Lower Manair Dam reached full capacity, prompting controlled water releases.

Hyderabad: Cyclone Montha has hit Telangana hard, with torrential rains battering several districts in erstwhile Warangal, Nalgonda and Khammam, to mention a few of the districts bearing the brunt on Wednesday.

Overflowing streams and rivers and submerged roads triggered widespread disruptions. Railway services were hit as tracks were submerged in many places, including at Dornakal where the Golconda Express had to be halted midway its journey.

A 45-year-old man was killed when a large tree crashed onto him near a newly constructed school in Chandupatla village in Suryapet, while a goods truck was washed away along with its driver in the overflowing Nimmavagu stream at Jannaram village of Enkoor mandal in Khammam. The driver was feared drowned as he could not be traced even till late night.

Schools and colleges were shut in multiple areas, while control rooms were set up at the headquarters of the affected districts to manage the crisis.

Sripada Yellampalli Project officials on Wednesday lifted nine floodgates to release 72,801 cusecs of water downstream as the reservoir reached full capacity following heavy inflows from upstream areas. The floodgates of the Lower Manair Dam (LMD) were also lifted on Wednesday to discharge water downstream.

In Suryapet district, relentless downpours recorded close to 10 cm of rainfall between 7 am and 4 pm, submerging standing paddy crops just days before harvest. Farmers in Kodad mandal’s Kuchipudi village reported severe losses as crops were left water-logged. A giant tree that crashed to the ground between Vepal Singaram and Mittagudem villages of Huzurnagar mandal disrupted vehicular traffic. In Chintalapalem mandal’s Dondapadu village, a stream was overflowing onto the road, disrupting traffic.

A local stream flowing over the Timmapuram-Sangem road, completely blocked the route. Nalgonda district bore the brunt of the cyclone’s fur, with Superintendent of Police Sharath Chandra Pawar personally spearheading relief operations. In Devarkonda mandal’s Kommapalli Tribal Gurukul School, several students were stranded as the flood waters surrounded the building.

The Superintendent of Police, along with his team, swiftly evacuated them to safety. The police sounded a caution to the residents against venturing outside. They were suggested to avoid unnecessary travel unless absolutely essential. Similar appeals were made to people in Musi river catchment areas, including shepherds grazing livestock.

Musi project brimming

In a major development, the Musi project in Kethepalli mandal reached full capacity due to upstream inflows. Officials lifted gates 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 by four feet on Wednesday, releasing 20,000 cusecs of water downstream to prevent overflow. A low-level bridge at Sangem in Valigonda mandal was submerged.

The Musi river was in spate and lowlying areas all along the river course were put on alert in Yadadri Bhongir district. In Pochampalli mandal, the river rose between Jooluru and Rudravelli villages, flooding the Pochampalli-Bibinagar road stretch and blocking traffic.

In Mahabubabad district, with a tree being uprooted onto the Nellikudur-Mahabubabad main road, movement of vehicular traffic was disrupted.

Amid the chaos, two 108 ambulance crew members cut branches of the tree and cleared the road to rush patients in emergency to the district headquarters hospital.

Srisailam ghat road blocked

Landslips on the Srisailam Ghat road halted the Hyderabad-Srisailam bus operations. Police deployed JCB machines to clear the debris. At Lingalgatti checkpost, an overflowing stream has damaged a building, adding to the disruptions.