At least 18 dead in rain-related incidents in Telangana; relief work gathers pace as rain subsides

At least 18 people lost their lives in various rain-related incidents due to the downpour that lashed Telangana during the past week, officials said.

Relief work gained momentum on Saturday as rainfall came to a halt in many parts of the state.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao supervised the relief operations during the day speaking to ministers and Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari, an official release said Saturday night.

A senior official told PTI that 16 people lost their lives in rain-related incidents, while bodies of two villagers who were washed away in floods in a stream in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district two days ago were found on Saturday, police said.

Search operation was on to locate two other villagers who were also feared washed away in the floods, they said.

Waterlogging continued in parts of Warangal despite rainfall subsiding since Friday. The state government has set up relief camps and ramped up rescue and rehabilitation work in rain-affected areas.

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The Bhadrakali tank in Warangal suffered a breach and officials carried out repairs, official sources said.

Those who returned to their homes in the town on Saturday after taking shelter in safer places during the last few days due to flooding were anguished over the damage to household items and the presence of sludge inside the houses.

State Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, who held a meeting in Warangal with public representatives and officials, said the flood damage in Warangal town, Warangal district and Hanumakonda district was Rs 414 crore as per preliminary estimates.

As per the directives of CM KCR, Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao held teleconference with officials and gave instructions on provision of safe drinking water, sanitation management and others, the official release said.

Rao spoke to Health Minister T Harish Rao who informed the CM about the medical services in relief camps and others.

State Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar, who undertook an aerial survey in the temple town of Bhadrachalam region, told the CM that about 12,000 people have been provided shelter in relief camps.

The water level in Godavari river in the temple town of Bhadrachalam stood at 56 ft at 10 PM on Saturday and the third and final warning was in force (third warning level is 53 ft).

The Meteorological Centre of IMD here, in its Daily Weather Report of Telangana State (at 8.30 am on July 29), said the southwest monsoon has been weak over Telangana with the state experiencing isolated rains.

Bhainsa in Nirmal district received the highest rainfall of 3 cm, it said.

In a press release, the Met Centre said heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Jagityal, Rajanna Sirsilla, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem of Telangana on August 1.

In its forecast and farmers weather bulletin, it said light to moderate rain or thundershowers is very likely to occur at isolated places over Telangana on July 29 and 30.

The heavy rains during the past one week led to inundation of low-lying areas and damage to agricultural fields at several places in the state.