Heavy rains lash Telangana, CM directs authorities to take precautionary measures

Hyderabad: Normal life was thrown out of gear in several parts of Telangana as torrential rains battered the state in the past 24 hours, prompting the state government to initiate relief measures.

According to official sources, Narsapur (G) and two other locations in Nirmal district received extremely heavy rainfall (above 227. 5 mm), while heavy rainfall occurred in many other places in Nirmal, Nizamabad, Adilabad districts from Wednesday morning to Thursday morning.

The provisional average rainfall in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) during the same period was 17.7 mm, they said.

On Thursday (till 13 hours), two locations in Nirmal district received very heavy rainfall, while heavy rain was recorded at various places in the Nirmal, Nizamabad, Kumram Bheem districts.

The provisional average rainfall in GHMC till 13 hours from 8.30 AM on Thursday was 2.6 mm, they added.

Several rivulets and water bodies at different places in the state were in spate following the rains and low-lying areas were inundated.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao instructed the officials and public representatives to take precautionary measures on a war-footing as water level was rising in Godavari river catchment areas due to heavy showers in the upper reaches of Sri Ram Sagar Project (SRSP), an official release said.

He urged the people living in concerned areas not to venture out of their homes and be cautious as lakes and rivulets were overflowing.

The CM also directed the ministers and MLAs to camp in their districts as floodwater is coming in from upper riparian states following heavy rains.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar held a teleconference with the Collectors and SPs of 16 rain-affected districts and took stock of the prevailing situation.

He gave instructions to undertake immediate relief and rescue measures on a war-footing to prevent any loss of life and damage to property.

The Met Centre of IMD here in a release said a low pressure area over Northwest Bay of Bengal and its neighbourhood persists.

In its weather warnings for the next five days, it said heavy to very heavy, with extremely heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Kumram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Jagtial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Rajanna Sircilla and Kamareddy districts on Thursday.

The weather department has predicted heavy rains at isolated places in several other districts.

It also stated that heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Kumram Bheem Asifabad, Nirmal and other districts on Friday.

The Met Centre forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers at most places over Telangana on Thursday and Friday.