Telangana rains Highlights: Nine feared dead, three feared washed away as rains persist, Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar says Centre deployed NDRF

Heavy rains and waterlogging over the tracks at several locations along the South Central Railway (SCR) network have caused as many as 99 trains to be cancelled. Four trains were partially cancelled while 54 trains were diverted, an SCR official said.

The SCR official said that over the past 24 hours, there has been flooding and breaches in Kazipet to Vijayawada section and five trains in that section were stranded even as officials moved 15 trains via a diverted path.

- PTI

Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a post on ‘X’ said, “Informed Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah ji about the severe situation in Telangana’s Khammam & that 110 villages in the district have been submerged, 9 people are stranded on Prakash Nagar hillock, 68 people on Azmeera Thanda hillock in Palair constituency, and 42 others are trapped on buildings.” He also said that following the Home Minister’s orders, nine NDRF teams, three each from Chennai, Visakhapatnam, and Assam, have been dispatched to Telangana.

As Telangana has been witnessing incessant rains, CM Revanth Reddy, reviewed the situation in the rain-affected areas, and spoke to ministers - Bhatti Vikramarka, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Tummala Nageshwar Rao, Damodara Raja Narasimha and Jupalli Krishna Rao over the phone and enquired about the relief operations in the submerged areas, an official release said.

- PTI

At least nine people’s lives were claimed, with some of them getting washed away in the swirling waters while crossing the streams and the bodies of some yet to be recovered.

Some of the victims include a couple Yakub and Saidabee working at a pre-cast cement bricks factory at Nayakangudem village in Kusumanchi mandal of Khammam district. Their son Sharif managed to swim to safety with the help of a life jacket dropped from a drone deployed by the police.

A father and daughter Nunawat Motilal and Nunawat Ashwini (26) were washed away in Khammam district as their car was submerged in the flood water while they were on their way to Hyderabad to catch a flight to Bengaluru.

The Telangana Chief Minister and Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy directed the officials to lift the water coming to the Sripada Yellampally project to the extent possible and draw at least one tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) daily. Steps should be taken to lift water using Nandi and Gayatri pumps and fill reservoirs.

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Of the 38 trees which fell in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits, 37 were cleared by the corporation.

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A total of 610 teams from GHMC, HYDRAA, HMWS&SB, HMDA are on field to attend to issues arising from the heavy rains, said M. Dana Kishore, principal secretary, Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA&UD). - The Hindu Bureau

Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) was directed to pause its ongoing demolition drive to clear encroachments on lakes/tanks for a couple of days and could constitute rescue operation teams from among its staff to assist the Government. 

In the light of heavy rains and the expected power disruptions, Deputy Chief Minister & Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka held a review meeting with the Managing Director of Northern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Limited (NPDCL) and SEs of the 16 Circles from the Madhira Tehsildar office on Sunday (September 1, 2024) morning.

Fifty-six passengers travelling on a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) bus were rescued by the police after the bus stranded in water downstream of a tank at Venkatapur village in Nekkonda mandal on Sunday (September 1, 2024). 

Sluice gates of Hussain Sagar were lifted on Sunday (September 1, 2024) as the water level in the lake increased. The full tank level (FTL) of the lake in Hyderabad is 513.41 meters. The water level at 8 a.m. on Sunday (September 1, 2024) was 513.60 meters, which is marginally above the FTL, as per the information from Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). 

Due to the heavy rains across the Telugu States, tracks in at least three sections got washed causing severe disruptions in the train services in the South Central Railway (SCR) on Saturday (August 31, 2024)-Sunday (September 1, 2024).

The Mahabubabad district police personnel were commended by Director General of Police (DGP) Jitender for their swift response to a flood-related emergency. 

A portion of the gravel under the railway track near Kesamudram was washed away due to heavy flooding, stranding passengers on both the Sanghamitra Express trains at Kesamudram railway station. The Rural Circle Inspector Sarvayya, Sub-Inspector Muralidhar, and other police staff immediately swung into action to provide relief to the stranded passengers.

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy announced that all the schools and colleges, both in the government and private sector, in Telangana will be closed on Monday (September 2, 2024). 

With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red alert for several districts in Telangana for Sunday (September 1) extremely heavy rainfall has been recorded in a few districts, with Kakarvai in Khammam district receiving the highest rainfall of 52.1 cm.

As per the instructions of the CM, the Chief Secretary and DGP Jitender held a teleconference with the Collectors, SPs, Police Commissioners, Corporations, and Municipal Commissioners of all districts. The top officials have been asked to review the field-level situation from time to time and take necessary action. - ANI

In the view of incessant rains in Hyderabad, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) commissioner Amrapali Kata on Sunday (September 1, 2024) has urged people not to step out unless absolutely essential.

Appealing to the citizens and motorists not to walk or drive in the flood waters, the official said children, people in old age should not be allowed to walk in stagnant water by themselves. 

Unceasing rain brings inflows to Hyderabad’s twin reservoirs Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, and they are reaching the full tank level (FTL) soon. As of 10 a.m., water level in Osman Sagar is at 1781.5 feet as against its FTL 1790 ft (3.90 tmc). In Himayat Sagar, water level is about eight feet short of the FTL 1763.5 ft or 2.970 tmc. - The Hindu Bureau

Train traffic on the Khammam-Warangal route has been hit due to flooding of a portion of the railway tracks between Intikanne and Kesamudram in Mahabubabad district early on Sunday (September 1, 2024) morning following heavy rains which lashed the district since Saturday (August 31, 2024) midnight.

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has directed the officials of Revenue, Irrigation and other departments to be on the field for taking up rescue and relief operations in view of the heavy rains lashing the State.

As heavy rain continued in Telangana for the second day on Sunday (September 1, 2024), the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued Flash Flood Risk (FFR) guidance for 19 districts in the State till Sunday evening.

Torrential rains have wreaked havoc across the erstwhile Warangal district, leading to significant flooding, transportation disruptions, and distress among locals. The situation is particularly grim in Mahabubabad district, where a man and his daughter were reportedly swept away by floodwaters after Akeru vagu (stream) overflowed onto a bridge at Purushothamaiah Gudem village in Maripeda mandal on Sunday (September 1, 2024).

Following continuous rain across all areas of Hyderabad, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the city and its surrounding regions for Sunday (September 1). In an impact-based forecast released on Sunday (September 1, 2024) morning, the IMD indicated that Hyderabad is expected to experience a generally cloudy sky with moderate to heavy rain or thundershowers, accompanied by gusty winds. 

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka abruptly cancelled his scheduled visit to Chennur in Mancherial district on Saturday afternoon (August 31, 2024) in view of heavy rains in Madhira constituency, Khammam district, causing some streams to overflow.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued Red alert to nine districts of Telangana, Orange alert to 12 districts, and Yellow alerts across 12 districts for Sunday (September 1). The districts under red alert were Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, and Jogulamba Gadwal.