Rains Wreak Havoc In Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana
Rains and thunderstorms caused inundation, crop loss and damage to lives and property.
Heavy rains for the past three days wreaked havoc in southern parts of the country including Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh causing inundation, crop loss and damage to lives and property.
In northern Karnataka, all major dams were filled to the brim while streams and lakes overflowed inundating villages. Districts of Kalaburgi, Yadgir and Bidar were severely affected. The recent rain-related damage is the third such instance in the past four months. Certain regions had twice suffered floods in August and September.
Things were worse in parts of Telangana where incessant rainfall led to waterglogging. Fifteen people have died so far in rain-related incidents.
The deaths were reported since Tuesday night as downpour triggered wall and house collapse in different places here, officials said. The Telangana government has declared a holiday on Wednesday and Thursday for all private institutions, offices, non-essential services within Outer Ring Road in view of rains.
In Andhra Pradesh too, ten people have been killed from torrential downpour in the last 48 hours. Heavy rains continued to pound the state, causing damage to roads and disrupting power supply in several places. For the second time in less than 20 days, river Krishna remained swollen on Wednesday as it received a flood due to heavy rainfall.
Karnataka Update
Sources in the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre have said floodgates of all major dams in the Cauvery and Krishna basins have been opened.
In Chincholi Taluk of Kalaburagi district, the stop- gates of Nagarala and Chandrampalli lakes were opened, flooding the nearby villages. Small islands were formed due to the sudden release of water from the lake, the sources said.
Normal life was paralysed due to heavy rains resulting in the overflowing of a major lake in Aland Taluk of Kalaburagi district. Due to torrential rain in Yargol village in Yadgir district, water gushed out of the weir of the lake resulting in damage to the crops and waterlogging.
The KSNDMC had on Tuesday predicted medium to heavy rains in the northern part of the state, interior and coastal Karnataka in the next 24 hours. The recent rain-related damage is the third such instance in the past four months. Certain regions had twice suffered floods in August and September.
Telangana Update
Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development KT Rama Rao and Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav held an emergency meeting with senior officials and reviewed the rescue and relief operations in the city. Three members of a family, including a child died in a house collapse in Gaganpahad area of Shamshabad this morning, police said. Ten people, including a toddler died in two wall collapse incidents in Chandrayangutta police station limits.
Several localities in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits received very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall leading to waterlogging on several roads and low lying areas. Rivulets and other water bodies were in spate in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district in the state following heavy rains and the administration has advised people not to travel on or cross such rivulets and inundated roads. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar has instructed the officials of all district administrations to remain on high alert.
In its weather forecast, the Met department said thunderstorm accompanied by lightning is very likely to occur at isolated places over Telangana on Wednesday. Heavy to very heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places including Hyderabad on Wednesday and Thursday, it added.
Andhra Pradesh Update
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a high-level meeting and reviewed the situation.
The Chief Minister ordered that ex-gratia be immediately paid to the victims families. The amount, however, was not specified. District Collectors and SPs have been asked to remain on high alert as rivers and rivulets were in spate. Reddy asked them to focus on restoration of power supply and repairs to damaged roads on a war-footing.
A breach occurred to the Sarada river bund near Yalamanchili in Visakhapatnam district, inundating over 2,000 acres of agricultural fields in the vicinity. Tandava, Raivada, Meghadrigadda projects in the district received heavy inflows and the flood was being discharged into the Bay of Bengal. The flood impact was felt in Chodavaram, Payakaraopeta, Yalamanchili and Anakapalli mandals in the district. The famous nurseries at Kadiyam near Rajamahendravaram were flooded due to downpour in East Godavari district.
The first flood warning has been issued as more than 50,000 cusecs of floodwater was discharged at Gotta Barrage, the State Disaster Management Authority said.