Hyderabad, September 04: The death toll due to the heavy rains that lashed across the state under cyclonic impact has touched 18 on Saturday. According to Disaster Management Commissioner T Radha, so far at least 18 people were killed due to rains-related incidents in all the three regions of the State.
The cyclonic storm has also damaged crops spread across 6100 hectares. The cattle loss was put at 483 while 863 houses were razed to the ground. Over 150 houses were under flood waters as four tanks overflowed due to breaches. The officials say that almost all the tanks and rivulets were overflowing and despite the fact that the rainfall was three percent below normal in the state. As against the average rainfall of 494.4 mm, so far 481.4 mm rainfall has been recorded.
However, the rainfall was above eight per cent in the coastal region and more than 11 per cent in the Rayalaseema. But in Telangana eight per cent below normal rainfall was recorded. In all the river basins – Krishna, Godavari and Pennar, the respective reservoirs and dams are said to be near full.
——Agencies