Heavy rainfall wreaks havoc across Telangana districts

Relentless rainfall across Telangana has inundated districts like Mulugu, Karimnagar and Khammam, disrupting daily life, damaging infrastructure, and prompting flood alerts. One person went missing, villages faced power outages, and tourism was restricted at Bogatha Waterfall amid heavy inflows.

Hyderabad: Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall has battered several districts of Telangana over the past two days, paralysing normal life in many mandals. The downpour, triggered by an active southwest monsoon and a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, has led to widespread flooding and disruptions.

Mulugu district recorded the highest rainfall of 227.3 mm, followed by Bhadradri Kothagudem with 119.0 mm, as of 8.30 am on Wednesday. In Mulugu, the Bogatha Waterfall—popularly known as Telangana’s Niagara—swelled due to continuous downpours, prompting authorities to restrict access and ban tourists as a precaution.

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Venkatapuram mandal in Mulugu received 146.0 mm of rain, while nearby areas like Alubaka (114.9 mm) and Mother (115.5 mm) also recorded significant precipitation. Overflowing streams and the surging waterfall have heightened concerns, with officials urging residents to remain alert.

In a tragic incident in Kothaguda mandal of Mahabubabad district, a 30-year-old man, Naresh, went missing while fishing in the swollen Ralla Titte stream. Rescue operations by the police, local authorities and villagers are underway.

In Karimnagar, incessant rains have turned roads into streams, inundating low-lying residential areas and severely inconveniencing commuters. Key localities such as Padmanagar Chowrastha and Mancherial Chowrasta witnessed water-logging, while homes in Kashmirgadda and Vidyanagar were flooded up to knee-deep.

In Khammam district, an agricultural officer had a narrow escape after his car was submerged under a railway underbridge in Karepalli mandal. Locals rescued him and he was later hospitalised for shock.

The Bayyaram Pedda Cheruvu, a historic reservoir built during the Kakatiya era, is receiving heavy inflows from swollen forest streams. Water levels have reached 11 feet and are expected to touch the full reservoir level of 16 feet if rains continue.

Power supply disruptions have added to the crisis. A substation breakdown in Kamalapuram, Mulugu, has left several villages without electricity. Authorities have issued an orange alert for July 23–24, forecasting heavy to very heavy rains in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Mulugu and Warangal districts.

Flood alerts have been sounded in areas receiving intense rainfall. The administration has been directed to remain vigilant as rivers, streams and reservoirs continue to rise. The State government is closely monitoring the situation and has intensified rescue and relief operations to mitigate the impact of the rainfall.