Hyderabad, August 30: Heavy rains are playing havoc across the state with as many as 14 deaths being reported from different districts. Hundreds of people have been evacuated and special health and medical teams are being rushed to the affected areas.
The state Disaster Management Department has started a new control room to monitor the situation. The Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy held a high level meeting to review the situation in the affected districts. The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary SV Prasad, Disaster Management commissioner Dr Radha, Principal Secretary Health K Ratna Kishore and others. The Chief Minister directed the officials to immediately shift the people from the low lying areas to safer places. He asked the collectors of coastal districts to be extra cautious.
The State received an average rainfall of 444.5 mm from 1st June to 28th Aug as against the normal of 463.0 mm with a deviation of – 4%, whereas last year rainfall received was 587.3 mm with an excess of +27 % for the corresponding period. While Coastal Andhra received 449 mm rainfall as against the normal of 438.8 mm this year, Rayalaseema received 313.2 mm as against the normal of 271.2 mm and Telangana received only 519 mm as against the normal of rainfall of 561.4 mm. During last year the rainfall in the State during the same period was 587.3 mm 27% excess. Officials informed that 14 deaths were reported so far and crop damages were reported from 4787 hectares.
The Chief Minister also asked the Medical and Health Department to keep sufficient quantities of essential medicines and 108/104 Medical Ambulance Services ready to meet any eventualities. Electricity Department is instructed to take special care to monitor the power situation to avoid human loss due to electric shock, short circuit and protect the people.
——Agencies