Telangana govt takes up relief measures in rain-hit localities

The Telangana government on Tuesday shifted residents to safer places at some localities and initiated other relief measures after incessant rains led to flooding of low-lying areas or water-logging on the roads in several districts.

Official sources said 219 people were shifted to safer places in Rajanna-Sircilla district following flooding and water-logging.

State Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar, who visited the rain-hit areas in Karimnagar, said the administration has taken up measures to drain the water from water-logged localities.

State Women and Child Welfare Minister Satyavati Rathod, who held a tele-conference with the Collectors of Mahabubabad, Mulugu and Bhupalpalli districts, asked officials to be alert and take up appropriate relief measures.

Incessant rains since the last about three days led to flooding of low-lying areas in several districts, including Rajanna-Sircilla, Karimnagar, Nizamabad. Rivulets and other water bodies were in spate following the rains.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is on a visit to New Delhi, spoke to Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar in the morning and directed that district Collectors and the entire administration should be on alert, an official release said. He instructed that appropriate relief measures be taken up.

The Chief Secretary held a tele-conference with the Collectors of 20 rain-hit districts and took stock of the prevailing situation in the districts.

He asked Collectors to step up vigil by setting up control rooms in the Collectorates and shift people living in low-lying areas to make-shift shelters if necessary.

Any breaches to tanks or damage to roads should be repaired immediately and the services of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel be used if required.

He asked all the departments to work in coordination and take all preventive measures to see that no untoward incident happens, the release said.

Kaldurki in Nizamabad district received 131.3 mm of rainfall between 0830 hours to 1600 hours on Tuesday, according to official sources. Several other places in Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Jayashankar Bhupalpally districts too received rainfall above 43 mm of rainfall.

Nizamabad received 104 mm of rainfall on Tuesday, the IMD said.

The Met Centre of IMD here, in its heavy rainfall warning for districts of Telangana, said heavy to very heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Kumram Bheem Asifabad, Nirmal and other districts from 1600 hours on Tuesday to 0830 hours on Wednesday.

It also said heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Mancherial, Jagtial, Rajanna Sircilla and other districts during the same period.