The IMD on Sunday issued a 24-hour Flash Flood Risk (FFR) warning for moderate to high risk Telangana in Asifabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Peddapalli, Rajanna Sircilla, Jaishankar Bhupalpally and Mulugu districts.
#Telangana: 24 hours rainfall is about 35 cm.
More #rain in store. IMD releases 24-hour flash #Flooding Risk alert for North Telangana districts till Monday morning. pic.twitter.com/DqaQynPaCg— Rahul V Pisharody (@rahulvpisharody) 10 July 2022
While the IMD had issued an orange alert for these districts on Monday, the state is on high alert with several tanks and reservoirs being flooded with heavy inflow of water. Till July 10, Telangana has recorded an additional southwest monsoon rainfall of 85 per cent, receiving around 36.5 cm of rainfall so far.
Several lakes, rivulets and rivers are in spate, while waterlogged roads have cut off several villages as incessant heavy rains lashed the northern districts of Telangana since Friday.
These districts have received maximum rainfall. Mutharam Mahadevapur mandal of Jaishankar Bhupalpally district of the state recorded about 35 cm of rain in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Sunday. Kataram (34 cm), Mahadevapur (25 cm), Vemanapally (23 cm), Chennur (23 cm), Mudhol (23 cm), Ramagundam (22 cm) have recorded more than 20 cm of rainfall in a day. Nizamabad district has recorded an average of 10 cm and 11 cm of rain in the last two days, which is the highest in the state.
Reviewing the situation, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday asked the Chief Secretary and District Collectors to make available NDRF and rescue teams in the flood-affected areas.
The CM directed ministers, MPs, MLAs and representatives of local bodies to remain alert and join the rescue operation to ensure no damage is caused. Following heavy floods and flooding in Godavari and Pranhita rivers, the CM alerted the officials of the state’s irrigation department and directed them to take necessary steps.
In state capital Hyderabad, waterlogging and traffic jams on roads and low-lying areas brought life to a standstill for citizens. Greater Hyderabad received an average rainfall of 3.7 cm, with Kukatpally recording the highest rainfall of 5 cm. The non-stop drizzle also brought down the day temperature and Kishanbagh recorded the day’s maximum temperature of 25.7 degree Celsius.
Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi told the media that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) had received 383 rain-related complaints and 375 were resolved, while 8 are in progress. As lakes across the city were prone to overflow, the mayor said precautions were taken in all 197 lakes and special teams were deployed to monitor the water flow.
He said that if needed, the sluice gate would be removed to allow the water to recede. The gateways of Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar, two major reservoirs on the outskirts of the city, may have opened up because they are filling up fast.