Panic strikes 16 districts in Telangana as rain and floods wreak havoc, Godavari in spate

HYDERABAD: The mighty Godavari is in spate. People in North Telangana districts are trembling with fear as the river roars down its course, filling projects to the brim, inundating villages, colonies and throwing life out of gear. As many as 16 of the 33 districts in the state are affected by rains and floods.

Even as the Godavari is already in full fury, the Krishna river is also swelling with Karnataka releasing excess water down from Almatti and Narayanapur which would flow to Jurala, Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar.

Though there are no reports of deaths so far from any corner of the state, the situation is very grim. With the IMD predicting heavy to very heavy rains in the next couple of days, there is a panic-like situation in all North Telangana districts. For instance, in the district headquarters town of Nirmal, the residents are going through an agonising ordeal. As roads are flooded, people are stuck in their homes. With the water levels rising steadily, they have reached the rooftops, crying for help. Nirmal district received an average rainfall of more than 20 cm during the last 24 hours. Another town, Bhainsa, is also affected with all transportation links having been cut off.

Sriaram Sagar in the erstwhile Nizamabad district, which used to be known as the lifeline of Telangana before the Kalaewaram Project was unveiled, presents a frightening picture with the project, which is always near empty, for a change, near to its full 90 tmcft capacity and the excess water which is arriving in lakhs of cusecs surging down from all its gates.

In neighbouring Adilabad district, Kadem, a tributary of the Godavari, is in full spate. All the flood gates of the project have been lifted, allowing water to course down the project and reach the Godavari river at Ellampalli. In Karimnagar, swollen rivulet Manair is in full fury. The gates of Mid-Manair and Lower-Manair reservoirs have been lifted as they are full to the brim. The water released is on its way to join the Godavari at its confluence point at Manthani. Ellampalli project's 64 gates have been lifted, letting down water in lakhs of cusecs.

In Sricilla, the newly built integrated collector's complex is now in knee-deep water. Municipal Minister K T Rama Rao visited Sricilla and reviewed the situation with officials. In Bhadrachalam, the Godavari is rising steadily. Though it is 15.9 ft now, it might rise fast. The first flood warning is given when the water level touches 43 ft.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has asked ministers, MLAs and people's representatives to visit flood-affected areas and help officials engaged in relief work and ensure that the plight of victims is reduced to the minimum. "I do not want to hear a report of even one death from any part of the state," the Chief Minister said and advised officials to constitute a flood management team on a permanent basis. The team should be ready with a contingency plan when the monsoon arrives, armed with information on the behaviour of the monsoon the previous year.

In Hyderabad, though there are no reports of flooding, the Musi is in spate. There has been no let-up in rain. The sky remained thicky overcast throughout the day, sending rain in spells. Osman Sagar (Gandipet) project's two flood gates and the five gates of the Himayat Sagar Project have been lifted to allow floodwaters down.