Very high rainfall, up to 19.6 cm, was recorded in the during the 24-hour period up to 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday and the intensity continued throughout the day on Tuesday across Telangana due to the impact of deep depression over Bay of Bengal, that made landfall near Kakinada in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday morninng, combined with the southwest monsoon which has been vigorous over the State and north interior Karnataka.
According to the Disaster Management Department of the State government, very heavy rainfall was recorded at a few places in Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts and heavy rainfall occurred at some places in Khammam, Bhadradri, Mahabubabad, Suryapet, Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy districts. A highest rainfall of over 19.6 cm rain was recorded at Vemsoor in Khammam district during the 24-hour period till 8.30 am on Tuesday.
The heavy rainfall flooded vast swathes of fields under cotton and other crops and disrupted normal life in both Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts. The incessant rains have triggered flash floods in Wyra, Munneru, Pedda Cheruvu, Rathoni Cheruvu, and various other rivulets and streams across Khammam district, cutting off road link to several villages and swamping low-lying areas in Madhira, Penuballi and several other mandals on Tuesday.
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The rain fury was at its worst in Thallada mandal as a wall of the government high school building in Kurnavalli village collapsed due to overnight heavy rainfall in the small hours of Tuesday. About 20 quintals of PDS rice and several “Bathukamma sarees” stocked inside a room in the same building got soaked as rainwater gushed into the premises, sources added.
In Penuballi mandal, a middle aged farmer was feared drowned after he was washed away by swirling waters of Rathoni Cheruvu near the mandal headquarters town on Tuesday morning. The farmer’s son narrowly escaped from getting swept away by strong undercurrent in the stream. Efforts by the police and local youth to trace the farmer proved futile till late in the evening.
In Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, road connectivity to several border villages in Aswaraopeta mandal, adjoining Andhra Pradesh, was disrupted for several hours on Tuesday morning due to overflowing of streams across the low-level road points at various stretches of Aswaraopeta-Vagoddugudem and other main roads.
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Very high rainfall was also recorded during the period at Pentlam and Annapureddipalle in Bhadradri-Kothagudem (17.4 cm), Siripuram (16.2 cm), Sathupalle (15.8 cm), Sadasivunipalem (15.1 cm), Penuballi (14 cm) – all in Khammam district, Maddukuru in Bhadrdri (13.3 cm), Mahabubabad (13 cm), Ankampalem (12.2 cm) and Aswaraopet (12 cm), both in Bhadradri district.
The Met Department has forecast that enhanced rainfall activity is expected over the State up to Wednesday morning due to the impact of deep depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal which has crossed over the land and would gradually recede. According to the forecast, very heavy to extreme rain is expected at a few places in Rangareddy, Mahabubnagar, Vikarabad, Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri and Nalgonda districts till Wednesday morning.
Besides, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at many places in Rangareddy, Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Vikarabad, Mahabubnagar, Narayanpet, Wanaparthy, Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda, Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri, Jangaon, Mahabubabad, Warangal Rural, Suryapet, Khammam, Siddipet and Sangareddy districts.
(With inputs from Khamma, Bhadradri-Kothagudem)