Incessant rains continue in Telangana, affect normal life

Hyderabad, July 21: Incessant rains continue to lash several parts of Telangana for a fourth consecutive day on Friday, inundating low-lying areas and throwing normal life out of gear.

Lakes, tanks and streams were overflowing while irrigation projects were receiving huge inflows from upstream. The continued downpour has cut off road communication to some villages in the affected districts.

People remained confined to their houses in several affected areas.

Educational institutions remained shut across the state for a second consecutive day on Friday.

The state government has declared a two-day holiday for all government offices and educational institutions for two days (Friday and Saturday) in Greater Hyderabad.

The State Labour department has also been directed to take steps to ensure that private companies also announce holidays to their respective offices.

The first warning signal continued on the Godavari river at Bhadrachalam town in Bhadradri Kothagudem district. The water level which was 44.3 feet on Thursday night, receded to 43.70 at 10 a.m. on Friday.

According to district collector D. Priyanka, 9.64 lakh cusecs of water is being let out downstream. The river crossed the first danger mark of 43 feet on Thursday due to huge inflows from upstream.

The second danger mark is 48 feet and the third is 53 feet.

People from low-lying areas in Bhadrachalam were shifted to relief camps. Taliperu project in Cherla mandal of Bhadradri district was also receiving huge inflows from Chhattisgarh. Officials have lifted 24 flood gates to let water downstream.

Sri Ram Sagar Project (SRSP) in Nizamabad district and Kadem project in Nirmal district were receiving huge inflows from upstream Godavari in neighbouring Maharashtra.

Undivided Khammam, Warangal and Nizamabad districts were experiencing heavy rains.

Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Jagityal, Karimnagar and Peddapally districts.

These districts are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places till Saturday morning.

According to IMD, heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Nizamabad, Rajanna Sirsilla, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Mahabubabad, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Sangareddy, Medak and Kamareddy districts.