Widespread rains lash T’gana, CM asks officials to take precautions

Moderate to heavy rains lashed many parts of Telangana on Saturday leading to inundation of low-lying areas and disruption of road links between villages at some places.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy asked officials of all government departments to be alert in view of the heavy rains and to take measures to prevent any untoward incidents. He also suggested shifting people of the low-lying areas to the relief camps immediately.

The officials have been asked to vacate people in the low-lying areas to safer places In view of the lifting of the gates of reservoirs, an official release said.

Following the heavy rains, rivulets were in spate in Mahabubabad, Narayanpet, Khammam and other districts and road links between villages were disrupted.

As per the Chief Minister’s instructions, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari and DGP Jitender held a teleconference with the Collectors, SPs and other officials of all districts.

The officials have been asked to review the situation on the ground from time to time and take necessary action, the release said.

The Chief Secretary directed the district Collectors to take precautions to avoid any loss of life and property as the Meteorological department warned of heavy rains for two days across the state.

She instructed that control rooms be opened in every district Collector’s office as well as in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and state Secretariat, an official release said.

She suggested that an officer should be specially appointed to supervise the overflowing streams.

The CS said the district Collectors can take the decision to declare a holiday for schools in view of the rains.

She also said an advance plan for evacuating people from flood-affected areas and setting up relief camps should be prepared.

Besides taking appropriate measures to prevent contamination of tanks, chlorination should be taken up to prevent the spread of diseases, the Chief Secretary said.

Noting that teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are currently stationed in Hyderabad and Vijayawada, she said these teams can be deployed if required.

In its weather warning, the Met Centre here said very heavy to extremely heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Mahabubnagar, Narayanpet and other districts on Sunday. It issued a red warning for this forecast.

It also said heavy to very heavy rain is very likely to occur at a few places in the districts of Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Jagital, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam, Warangal and other districts on Sunday.