Telangana Deluge: 2 Women Killed In Wall Collapse In Rain Fury; CM Chairs Emergency Review Meeting

Two women were killed in a wall collapse in Kothapalli at Telangana’s Narayanpet district, as heavy rains continued to lash many parts of the state. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy held an emergency review with ministers, officials and elected members on Sunday (September 1), directing them to take immediate relief measures in flood-affected areas.

Waterlogging and tree fall incidents were reported from state capital Hyderabad due to incessant rains overnight. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an ‘orange’ alert for the city and has forecast heavy rain till late into the evening.

However, as a precautionary measure to ensure children’s safety, the administration ordered all schools to be closed in Hyderabad district due to a forecast of heavy rains on Monday (September 2).

According to the South Central Railway, six trains were cancelled and nine were diverted due to heavy rains and waterlogging on the tracks at several locations.

Here is all you need to know:

• Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy held an emergency review meeting and directed control rooms to be set up in districts, including worst-affected areas like Suryapet, Khammam, Mahbubabad and Warangal. He instructed the authorities to take immediate relief measures in flood-hit areas
• He spoke to ministers Bhatti Vikramarka, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Tummala Nageshwar Rao, Damodara Raja Narasimha and Jupalli Krishna Rao over the phone and inquired about the relief operations in the submerged areas
• The chief minister appealed to people not to venture out of their homes unless in an emergency. Those living in low-lying areas were advised to be more vigilant and inform the authorities in case of an emergency or assistance required
• He directed ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs to stay in their areas and take up relief operations. A control room was opened at the state secretariat to monitor heavy rains in the state
• The weather department said moderate to heavy rain and thundershowers accompanied with gusty winds up to 40 to 50 kmph are very likely for Hyderabad. It also predicted low to moderate flash flood risk over Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Medchal, Vikarabad and Sangareddy districts
• An ‘orange’ alert is in place for Hyderabad with a forecast of heavy rain till evening. While no casualties were reported in this district, waterlogging and multiple tree fall incidents were reported with stagnant points being cleared. The flow of water in the Hussain Sagar Lake has also increased after heavy rainfall
• Due to the forecast of heavy rains in Hyderabad district, all primary and secondary schools, under all managements (government, aided and private), will be closed on Monday (September 2) as a precautionary measure to ensure the children’s safety
• A portion of gravel under the railway track near Kesamudram in Mahabubabad district was washed away due to floodwaters, stranding passengers on a train at Kesamudram railway station. Due to this, all trains from Vijayawada to Warangal, Warangal to Vijayawada, and Delhi to Vijayawada were put on hold
• Telangana Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu visited flood-affected areas and relief shelters in his constituency in Khammam district in the early hours. He also directed officials to make necessary arrangements for flood victims
• Heavy rains also affected neighbouring Andhra Pradesh as well, where aerial footage captured heavily inundated areas in Vijayawada like Nandamuri Nagar, Ajith Singh Nagar, Raja Rajeswararao Pet. Several houses and cars were seen submerged in the Rama Krishna Puram area. Police and NDRF teams are rescuing affected people and relocating them to rehabilitation centres. The Pulichintala project dam is also overflowing at present.

What is the IMD forecast?

The MeT has warned of very heavy to extremely heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, Jogulamba Gadwal, Mahbubabad, Jangaon districts of Telangana till 8.30 am on September 2. It issued a red warning for this forecast.

It said heavy to very heavy rain is very likely to occur at few places in Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Jagital, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Vikarabad, Sangareddy districts.

What is the government response?

Moderate to heavy rains lashed many parts of the state on Saturday (August 31), leading to inundation of low-lying areas and disruption of road links between villages in some places.

Revanth Reddy held a teleconference with top officials and the chief secretary, DGP and officials of state municipal administration, energy, panchayati raj, HYDRAA, irrigation departments were asked to be alert in the next 24 hours. He ordered district collectors, SPs, revenue, irrigation and municipal officials to conduct field visits in the flood-hit habitations.

Specific instructions have been issued to all officials of the important departments to cancel their leaves and join relief and rescue operations immediately in the rain ravaged districts. The officials of the emergency wings have also been asked to send updates on heavy rains at the field level to the CMO office from time to time.