Heavy rains: Telangana Chief Secretary directs officials to be on high alert

Following heavy rains in some parts of the state and in the wake of forecast of more downpour, Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Tuesday held a video conference with district collectors and senior officials and asked them to be on alert.Normal life was disrupted after heavy rains lashed the city and at isolated places in some districts on Monday night causing waterlogging, inundation in low-lying areas and localities.

Following heavy rains in some parts of the state and in the wake of forecast of more downpour, Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Tuesday held a video conference with district collectors and senior officials and asked them to be on alert.

Normal life was disrupted after heavy rains lashed the city and at isolated places in some districts on Monday night causing waterlogging, inundation in low-lying areas and localities. Heavy rainfall of over 9 cm was recorded in some parts of the city on Monday night. Disaster Response Force (DRF) teams attended to emergency calls and citizen assistance, officials said.

In view of heavy inflows (after the heavy downpour in Vikarabad district) to the twin reservoirs of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar near here, water was discharged.

GHMC, Revenue and Police officials evacuated families from Musi river bed to community halls, they said. The Cyberabad Traffic Police rescued one person who was stuck on the Himayat Sagar service road bridge here on Tuesday evening following overflowing water. In a video, the personnel of the recovery van team of Cyberabad Traffic Police were seen rescuing the person.

The man tried to cross the Himayath Sagar service road bridge to Shamshabad on his bike. Though sufficient police personnel were deputed on both ends of the bridge he somehow managed to entered the road. However, the civilian was safely rescued, police said.

The Met Centre said heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in some districts on July 27 and 28. As per the directions of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, a teleconference was held with all the district collectors and senior officials today, an official release said.

Somesh Kumar informed that Rao, who is in Delhi, has been closely monitoring the heavy rainfall situation in the state.

The Chief Secretary directed all the officials to be on high alert and ensure there is no human casualty.

He mentioned about the flow in the Musi river which has resulted in huge inflow of water into Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar.

The Managing Director of Water Board has been asked to work in close coordination with GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) and regularly monitor the water flow in these tanks, it said.

Relief camps have already been identified by the GHMC and if needed people likely to be affected by the release of flood waters from these tanks have to be shifted to these camps, Kumar said.

Similarly all the district collectors were told to be vigilant regarding causeways, low-lying areas, breaches to roads and tanks.

All officials have to be stationed in their headquarters and any untoward incident has to be brought to the notice immediately for taking necessary action, he said, adding all the line departments should work in close coordination.

Special Chief Secretary Municipal Administration and Urban Development department Arvind Kumar, Additional DG Jitender, GHMC Commissioner Lokesh Kumar, and other officials participated, the release added.

The Met Centre in its daily weather report issued at 8.30 AM today said heavy to very heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places in Rangareddy and very heavy rain at isolated places in Vikarabad district and heavy rainfall occurred at few places in Adilabad, Hyderabad, Narayanpet and at isolated places in Mahabubnagar, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Warangal Rural districts.

Southwest Monsoon has been active over Telangana, it said.

Vikarabad received 13 cms rainfall, Hayathnagar in Rangareddy 12 and Damaragidda in Narayanpet district received 11 cms rainfall.

In its weather warning issued at 1730 hours today, it said heavy to very heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Medak, Suryapet, Mahabubabad, Warangal (Rural), Warangal (Urban), Janagaon, and Khammam districts till 8.30 AM on Wednesday. PTI VVK GDK SA SA