Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday placed the entire state administration on high alert as heavy rain has been lashing parts of the state since Tuesday night, inundating low-lying areas and disrupting road connectivity to several villages.
Rivulets, lakes, and ponds are overflowing due to the downpour, flooding roads and villages in low-lying areas.
Heavy to very heavy rains in Medak and Sangareddy districts have resulted in the inundation of residential areas in some pockets. Several roads were damaged, disrupting vehicular traffic.
Water was flowing over the Narayankhed-Kangti road, bringing traffic to a halt. A culvert near Lakshmapur village in Kamareddy district was washed away.
Peddashankarampet in Medak district recorded the highest rainfall of 20.4 cm since last night, followed by Tekmal at 20.1 cm and Ramayampet at 17.9 cm.
The heavy rains have dampened Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, affecting the installation of idols in various towns and villages. Moderate rain has also been lashing parts of Greater Hyderabad since Tuesday night, disrupting celebrations there as well.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has directed officials to evacuate residents living in old or vulnerable houses and shift them to safer areas. Electricity department officials have been instructed to take precautionary measures to ensure safe power supply, particularly for devotees visiting Ganesh pandals during the festivities.
The Chief Minister also directed the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Production Agency (HYDRAA), Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire Services, and Police departments to coordinate efforts and prevent inconvenience during the heavy rains.
In view of high inflows in low-lying causeways, culverts, rivulets, and streams, officials have been ordered to stop vehicular movement in flooded areas. The Irrigation department has been asked to take precautionary measures at ponds and other water bodies prone to breaches.
Given the high risk of epidemics, sanitation staff of Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, and Gram Panchayats have been instructed to remain on high alert and remove stagnant water regularly. Medical and Health authorities have been advised to stockpile adequate medicines and organise medical camps in flood-affected areas to prevent communicable diseases.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall at isolated places in Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Hanumakonda, Jangaon, Karimnagar, Khammam, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nalgonda, Peddapalli, Suryapet, Warangal, Mahabubabad, and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri districts of Telangana on Wednesday.
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph are also likely at isolated places across all districts, the IMD said in a bulletin.
IANS