Telangana: Heavy rains wreak havoc in Sircilla, Warangal

Hyderabad: Parts of north Telangana on Tuesday were flooded thanks to intermittent rainfall which lashed districts like Waranga and Sircilla, where flood water even entered the district collector’s office. The Sircilla police also evacuated about 200 people from low-lying areas. Given the situation, chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao took stock of the alarming situation, and asked state chief secretary Somesh Kumar to undertake a meeting with all officials to keep things in control.

On Tuesday, chief minister KCR instructed Kumar to ensure that district collectors and the official machinery should be put on high alert and take all the required measures. “The CM wanted the officials concerned should be on alert as tanks, lakes and rivulets are flooding due to the heavy rains in the rural areas and ensure that people there are not put to any inconvenience,” said a note from th office.

Warangal city was one of the majorly affected places, as flood water roared across the streets in a few areas. However, no casualties were reported. Similarly, in Rajanna-Sircilla district, videos of water entering the newly constructed district collectorate were doing rounds on social media. Congress leader from Karimnagar Ponnam Prabhakar, sharing a video from Sirilla, asked the state government to take action to help people, and asked his party workers to help the public.

The statement from KCR’s office also said that due to incessant rains, officials should be on high alert about power, roads and drainage. “All the officials and employees to the lowest level of the Municipal Administration, Panchayat Raj, Roads and Buildings, electricity departments should be asked to be alert,” it added. KCR also said that people living in low-lying areas should not be put to any difficulties and for this asked irrigation department officials to take all the necessary measures.

Telangana has been on high alert since September 6, as the Indian Meteorological Department issued a heavy rain warning for the state, which witnessed floods in June. Officials from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation have also been on high alert and other departments in the capital city have also been anticipating a flood-like situation. The highest rainfall was recorded from Hanumkonda disrict at 26 centimetres.

While Hyderabad has also been witnessing rain over the last two days, the showers have been intermittent.