Cyclone Montha brings extreme rainfall, hits normal life in Warangal, Khammam

Cyclone Montha triggered torrential rains across Warangal and Khammam, damaging crops and disrupting transport. Over 20 mandals recorded extreme rainfall, leading to waterlogging, train halts, and closure of schools and markets.

Warangal/Khammam: Heavy rains caused by Cyclone Montha severely affected normal life in erstwhile Warangal and Khammam districts with the farming community remaining the most affected group.

Standing crops as well as harvested cotton and paddy were damaged as lodging of paddy was reported in many places in both the districts. Farmers, whose prospects of a good yield were already dashed due to lack of urea and the vagaries of nature this season, were affected badly by cyclone Montha.

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Erstwhile Warangal bore the brunt as over 20 mandals in the district received very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall from 8.30am to 7pm on Wednesday. Parvathagiri mandal recorded 36.7cm rainfall, while Nekkonda recorded 31.6cm, Bhemdevarapalli 29.2cm, Wardhannapet 28.6cm, Sangem 28.2cm, Palakurthy 26.3cm, Fort Warangal 26cm, Chilpur 22.2cm, Raiparthy 21.9cm and Inugurthy recorded 20.5cm rainfall.

Heavy waterlogging occurred at Warangal, Dornakal and Mahabubabad railway stations leading to disruption in train schedules and halting of many passenger trains. A Vande Bharat train bound for Secunderabad was halted at Khammam and passengers were sent to Warangal in RTC buses. Hanamkonda bus stand and many residential colonies were inundated with rainwater causing inconvenience to the public.

Vehicular traffic on Khammam-Warangal route was affected due to waterlogging on the road. Similarly traffic was affected on many state highways due to overflowing streams. The district administrations of Khammam, Kothagudem, Warangal and Mahabubabad declared holiday for all public and private educational institutions on Wednesday. Khammam agriculture market was also closed for the day.

The Ghat Road from Bhadrachalam to Rajahmundry via Maredumilli was closed due to the possibility of landslides, while emergency services were exempted. Papikondalu tourist boat services in river Godavari were temporarily suspended.

Coal production in SCCL opencast mines was affected in Kothagudem area.