Unprecedented floods that paralysed Khammam

The Munneru river, typically a dry tributary of the Krishna river, swelled unexpectedly, causing a flash flood that wreaked havoc in just one hour between 10 am and 11 am on Sunday.

Hyderabad: The Munneru river, typically a dry tributary of the Krishna river, swelled unexpectedly, causing a flash flood that wreaked havoc in just one hour between 10 am and 11 am on Sunday. The flood’s impact, though severe, could have been far more devastating had it occurred at night.

RJC Krishna, a senior leader from BRS, recounted his harrowing experience: “In response to a phone call about the flood reaching the town, I tried to help my aged mother from the ground floor to the second floor. By the time I returned to assist other family members, the damage was seen in the neighbourhood. The families in the vicinity struggled to save valuables, but in vain.”

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The flood, which had no prior warning or announcement, was unprecedented in Khammam’s recent history. There was no such tragic experience in the last 70 years. The Akeru forest stream, joining Munneru at Thirthala, an upstream point just four kilometres away, contributed to the sudden surge. The entire stretch, dotted with tribal tandas and over 40 new habitations, was selectively impacted by the flood. As the river swelled, it reached out to new habitations that reflected the rapid change in rural lifestyle from mud huts to lavish bungalows. People ran in search of safety as the flood level rose like a tsunami.

Residents of Rajiv Grihakalpa (RJK Colony) faced particularly horrible experiences. A retired education department employee was about to leave his residence to fetch vegetables from the market, and had to retreat with the swirling waters surrounding his house. He took a staircase to reach the rooftop. His wife and two sons were saved by neighbors. Nearby residential schools evacuated their children to top floors as they were inundated by the Munneru waters.

Private lorry operators, whose office and parking yard were right on the bank of Munneru river, watched helplessly as their lorries were washed away. The river engulfed the yard, unleashing its fury.

Inmates of CRG Tower, a new residential complex in the new town, had a frightful experience as well. They were helpless as their parked vehicles nearby floated away like balloons.

It’s remarkable that a 90-year-old bridge built over Munneru during the Nizam era withstood the flood’s impact and remained strong. The local communities are hailing the engineering and construction quality of that time. In contrast, the more recent bridges have shown vulnerabilities. The sudden surge of the river caused significant structural stress on two of the new bridges that came up over the river. The flood’s impact was indeed severe, leaving the bridges shaken.

A span of the bridge over the Munneru river, connecting Prakash Nagar with Mudigonda, a hub of granite units, drifted by less than a foot. Additionally, a part of another bridge on the same river along the Khammam-Warangal bypass road was slightly shaken by the flash flood.