Telangana on high alert as heavy rains claim nine lives

The districts of Mahabubabad, Mulugu, Suryapet, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Khammam were among the worst hit.

Hyderabad: At least nine people lost their lives as heavy rains continued to batter Telangana over the last two days, causing widespread destruction and floods across the State. The death toll could rise, with a few persons who were washed away in different districts yet to be traced.

With the India Meteorological Department predicting heavy rains on Monday as well, a holiday has been declared for all educational institutions in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts on Monday, with District Collectors in other affected districts given the authority to declare holidays based on local conditions.

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The entire official machinery has been put on high alert with the districts of Mahabubabad, Mulugu, Suryapet, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Khammam being among the worst hit. Among the casualties were a young scientist Nunavath Ashwini, who was washed away along with her father in their car while on the way to the Hyderabad airport.

Efforts were still on trace her father Nunavath Motilal. Nagam Ravi, the driver of another car washed away in a drain near Bharati Public School in Kodad municipality was found dead this morning.

In the worst hit Khammam-Kothagudem districts, nine persons who were trapped on Munneru bridge at Prakash Nagar were yet to be rescued, while five persons who went to see the surging Akeru stream in Khammam rural mandal were washed away and yet to be traced.

A family at Bokkalagadda was stuck in Munneru floods while the wall of a house collapsed and three persons were washed away at Nayakangudem of Kusumanchi mandal in Palair. A youth Sharif was saved while his father Yakub and mother Saida were yet to traced.

In Mahabubabad district, 40 passengers onboard a TSRTC bus were rescued after the bus got stranded in between two flooded causeways since Saturday night. In Nalgonda too, 30 passengers were saved from a bus caught in the swirling waters of the Paleru stream at Nallabandagudem village.

Apart from floods in several areas, trees were uprooted in the strong winds, while roads were washed at multiple spots. Rail traffic too was affected, with over ten feet of the track being washed away partially at Tallapusapalli railway station in Kesamudram of Mahabubabad district. About thirty feet of railway track was washed as the Peddamori cheruvu at Initikanne overflowed in the district.

Connectivity between Hyderabad and Vijayawada was disrupted with National Highway No. 65 being severely affected, with hundreds of vehicles stranded as streams and rivers overflowed on the highway, bringing vehicular traffic to a standstill. Both the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation and the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation suspended bus services between Hyderabad and Vijayawada via Kodad.

The police also closed the Mannanur checkpost on the Srisailam road following a landslide triggered by continuous rain causing severe traffic jam on the ghat road near Egalapenta.

The rains also triggered huge inflows into the projects of both the Krishna and Godavari basins. The Krishna River Management Board and Irrigation authorities in both Telangana and AP are taking precautionary measures to handle the increasing flood flow by scaling up discharges at key projects.

A breach developed on the NSP left canal at Ramachandrapuram in Nadigudem mandal of Suryapet district, causing floodwaters to sweep across paddy fields and submerge hundreds of acres. The Vanakalam crop too was affected in a major way in multiple districts.

Official machinery on high alert; official toll is 9

Meanwhile, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has put the entire official machinery on high alert and ordered round-the-clock vigilance from officials. The State government also directed District Collectors to initiate urgent relief and rescue operations as well as restoration of essential services in affected areas.

Despite the Armed Forces being ready to send in helicopters for rescue operations, their deployment was hindered by the bad weather, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said, adding that till 1 pm on Sunday, nine deaths were recorded in the State.

Revanth Reddy instructed the Chief Secretary, DGP and officials from the Municipal, Electricity, Panchayat Raj and Irrigation departments as well as HYDRAA to stay on high alert for the next 24 hours. He also ordered key officials, including District Collectors and Superintendents of Police, to be present on the field. Officials currently on leave were asked to return to duty immediately.

A round-the-clock control room was set up at the State Secretariat to assist flood-affected residents, who can reach out via phone number 040-23454088.