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After coastal Andhra Pradesh, seven districts in the state's backward Telengana region now encounter the fury of floodwaters following two days of incessant rain
More than 25 people have died in torrential rains in Andhra Pradesh's Telengana region, and thousands have been evacuated to safety as heavy rains continued for two consecutive days. The incessant rains have marooned over 100 villages in north Telengana and affected crops ready for harvesting in seven districts.
Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal, Khammam, Nizamabad, Guntur and Vizianagaram are in a bad way, with Karimnagar the worst affected. At least 15 people died in flash floods caused by heavy rains in that district. Five people died in Karimnagar town and 10 were killed in the district's rural areas. Eight localities in the town are flooded and over 3,000 people shifted to relief camps, according to Superintendent of Police D S Chauhan.
Officials say most of the casualties within the city were due to drowning. In the villages, lives were lost when small dams burst.
Chauhan stated that the police and local administration had begun taking steps to prevent further casualties. "Along with staff from the collector's office, we have started evacuating people in low-lying and flooded areas. We have also cordoned off dangerous areas near breaches, and positioned personnel there to avoid more deaths." He added that many streets in Karimnagar town had turned into fast-moving streams, and that police pickets had been placed on both sides of the road to stop people from attempting to cross. "All those who died were trying to cross these streams," he said.
Three people died in flash floods in neighbouring Adilabad district, while seven women were washed away in Guntur district. Two people were killed in Khammam, and one in Medak. Karimnagar is the only district in the state that is still flooded.
Meanwhile, water levels of the state's major rivers -- the Godavari and Krishna -- continue to rise following heavy rain in their catchment areas in neighbouring Orissa and Maharashtra. With the Sabari, Pranahita, Indravati and Taliperu in spate again, the Godavari reached the first warning mark at all its gauging stations, including Bhadrachalam. Inflows into the Godavari are likely to swell to 10 lakh cusecs over the next two days, from 6 lakh cusecs now.
Inflows into the Krishna were slightly less, at 1.5 lakh cusecs. This came as a boon to the power-starved state. More rain has been predicted in the next 36 hours.
Major state highways were also inundated, affecting road traffic and the movement of essential supplies in the region. The Hyderabad-Karimnagar highway and Karimnagar-Adilabad highway have been closed. The highway to Warangal was also closed for a while, but re-opened late on September 19.
While heavy rains also affected Telengana's neighbouring districts of Warangal and Nizamabad, no casualties have been reported from these areas.
Compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh each has been announced for the victims' next of kin.
Earlier, Andhra Pradesh's coastal regions bore the full brunt of the heavy rains since the beginning of the week. Officials said this led to an increase in the water levels of rivers and rivulets in north coastal Andhra Pradesh. The coastal districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam as well as East and West Godavari and Krishna districts were battered by the rains.
Last month, over 120 people died in the coastal areas of the state due to heavy rains and floods.
Source: The Hindu, September 19, 2006
The Indian Express, September 19, 2006
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