Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda worst hit as Cyclone Montha leaves trail of ruin; Six lives lost

Super Cyclone Montha has wreaked havoc across Telangana, leaving six dead, thousands displaced, and over 4.47 lakh acres of crops destroyed. Warangal, Khammam, and Nalgonda districts bore the brunt of the storm, which struck during harvest season.

Hyderabad: The devastation caused by the Super Cyclone Montha in Telangana is widespread. The government machinery is working overtime to prepare the preliminary damage estimates.

The storm, which battered the state with unprecedented floods and districts like Warangal bore the brunt and the cyclone left at least six people dead, thousands displaced.

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The entire Kharif harvest was lost for many. Officials surmise that the toll could rise as surveys continue across the severely affected districts, including Warangal, Khammam, and Nalgonda.

Floodwaters claimed livestock in a big way, primarily from drowning and collapsing structures in low-lying areas of Mahabubabad where one person was still reported missing. Thousands have been relocated to makeshift relief camps.

“Flooding of this scale during harvest time was unprecedented,” said farmers whose stocks were washed away in several places.

Over 4.47 lakh acres of crops continue to lie submerged or destroyed, impacting 2.53 lakh farmers. Paddy fields, Telangana’s staple, bore the brunt with 2.82 lakh acres ruined, followed by 1.52 lakh acres of cotton in Khammam and Nalgonda.

Maize, chillies, pulses, groundnut, and horticultural produce added to the tally, with early reports from 179 mandals in 12 districts painting a grim picture, according to rough estimates by officials.

Warangal alone lost crops in 1.3 lakh acres, while Khammam and Nalgonda reported losses of 62,400 and 52,071 acres respectively. Infrastructure crumbled under the onslaught.

Roads and bridges washed out, stranding commuters and halting goods transport. The roads in Warangal and Hanmakonda have borne the brunt.

Reservoirs overflowed breaching minor canals in Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar. The assessment of the damage to irrigation infrastructure is currently underway.