Heavy rains lashed across the State on Friday night and Saturday under the influence of a very vigorous south-west monsoon. Fifteen places recorded rainfall in excess of 10 cm.
The State government put all the district collectors on high alert with more rain forecast in the next three days. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar issued orders asking officers to stay put in their headquarters and take measures to ensure that there is no loss of life and property. He also ordered cancellation of leave and permission for public holidays to all officers in districts.
Meanwhile, the Meteorology department has stated that south-west monsoon was very vigorous over Telangana and heavy to very heavy rain occurred at several during the 24-hour period till 8.30 a.m. on Saturday.
The chief amounts of rainfall of 10 cm and above was recorded at Palakurthi (Jangaon district) and Shadnagar (Rangareddy) – 15 cm each, Wargal (Siddipet), Bejjanki (Siddipet) and Chennaraopet (Warangal Rural) – 13 cm each, Suryapet and Damaragidda (Mahabubnagar) – 12 cm each, Kondapak (Siddipet), Parvathagiri (Warangal Rural) and Makthal (Narayanpet) – 11 cm each, Nallabelly (Warangal Rural), Miryalaguda (Suryapet), Kosgi (Vikarabad), Vikarabad and Narayanpet – 10 cm each.
Revenue authorities of the Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts have been kept on high alert on Saturday night, owing to the possibility of lifting the flood gates of the Himayatsagar reservoir, letting out huge quantities of water into Musi river.
Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board officials in charge of the twin reservoirs in Hyderabad have informed that there have been continuous inflows into Himayatsagar even while Osmansagar (Gandipet) has not received much water.
“Any more rains in the catchment area could necessitate release of surplus water from Himayatsagar into Musi. As the Meteorology department has predicted more rains, we have kept the Revenue authorities on alert,” said a water board official.
Reservoir levels have reached 1756 feet by 9 p.m. on Saturday, against the full tank level of 1763.5 feet. Flood gates will be operated when water level reaches 1760 feet, an alert from the water board said.
Heavy rains across the city, which began on Friday evening continued on Saturday too. Multiple spells of showers lashed various localities of the city, resulting in inundation of roads, colonies and at times, homes too.
Water flowed knee deep on nearby colonies with Saroornagar lake overflowing. Water entered homes too in a few locations, from where residents have been evacuated. GHMC officials have informed that over 100 residents have been shifted to safer locations.
