Heavy rains lash many parts of Telangana; CM holds emergency meeting

Heavy rains continued to lash many parts of Telangana, including Hyderabad, on Sunday and chief minister A. Revanth Reddy held an emergency review meeting with ministers, officials and elected members.

Reddy, who reviewed the situation in the rain-affected areas, 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.

In its weather warning, the Met centre in Hyderabad on Sunday said 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 from 8.30 am of Sunday till 8.30 am of September 2. It issued a red warning for this forecast.

Due to heavy rains and water logging over the tracks at several locations on South Central Railway (SCR), several passenger trains were either cancelled, partially cancelled and also diverted, a release from SCR said.

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.

Following the heavy rains, rivulets were in spate in some districts and the floodwaters disrupted road links between villages.

The Met Centre 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 on Sunday.

Hyderabad also witnessed heavy rains and the continued overnight downpour led to waterlogging in many parts of the city.

The Met Centre said moderate to heavy rain and thundershowers accompanied with gusty winds upto 40-50 kmph are very likely for Hyderabad.

It also said of low to moderate flash flood risk over Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Medchal, Vikarabad and Sangareddy districts.

Moderate to heavy rains lashed many parts of Telangana on Saturday, leading to inundation of low-lying areas and disruption of road links between villages in some places.

The chief minister held teleconference with top officials and the Chief Secretary, DGP and the officials of State Municipal Administration, Energy, Panchayati Raj, HYDRAA, Irrigation departments were asked to be alert in the next 24 hours.

Reddy 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 release said.

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. The authorities are instructed to take immediate relief measures in the flood-hit areas.

The chief minister appealed to people not to venture out of their homes unless in an emergency. Citizens living in low lying areas are advised to be more vigilant and inform the authorities over the phone in case of an emergency or any assistance required, the release said.

The CM directed the ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs to stay in their respective areas and take up relief operations.

A control room was opened at state Secretariat to monitor heavy rains in the state, an official release said.