Rains damage 21,500 acres of crops in Nizamabad

According to district agriculture department officials, paddy, soya, maze and turmeric crops were submerged in water causing huge losses to farmers.

Nizamabad: Heavy rainfall has damaged about 21,500 acres of crops in 19 mandals of the district in the last one week.

According to district agriculture department officials, paddy, soya, maze and turmeric crops were submerged in water causing huge losses to farmers. The average rainfall of the district stood at 124.7 mm on Friday with Navipet mandal recording the highest rainfall of 245.8 mm, followed by Sirikonda with 196 mm and Aloor with 178 mm. So far, 32 mandals received excess rainfall in the district.

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As Manjira river is overflowing, vehicle movements between Saluru and Maharashtra have been stopped. Officials informed that due to heavy rains in Padagal village of Velpur mandal, Nawab pond and other ponds were overflowing causing damages to roads and bridges leading to the village.

Meanwhile, Roads and Buildings Minister Vemula Prashant Reddy toured rain-affected areas of the district and inspected the Sriram Sagar Project (SRSP). He informed that irrigation officials have lifted 30 gates of the project and released about 1.80 lakh cusecs of water into Godavari.

The Minister asked people of catchment areas of Didigam, Savel, Kodicherla, Chakiriyal, Battapur, Tadapakal, Donchanda and Gummiryala to be alert as Sriram Sagar project was receiving huge inflow from upstream areas.

District collector Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu said rehabilitation centres have been set up to accommodate people living in flood-hit areas, with 273 people from 76 families relocated in seven centres in Velpur, Kammarpally, Renjal, Bagepalli, Mendora, Dudgam and Navipet areas.