Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao directed officials to be on high alert, monitor the situation minute by minute and ensure that people living in low-lying areas do not face any hardships as 16 Telangana districts have been affected by floods on Thursday amid heavy rains and inflows into the state.
“More care should be taken on Godavari and Krishna rivers catchment areas,” the CM said. According to the Chief Minister, heavy rain occurring in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra, where Mahabaleshwar recorded 70 cm rainfall, will lead to increase in floods in the Krishna river catchment areas.
He observed that the Telangana official machinery should get awareness on managing flood situations and told them to create a perfect flood management system on a permanent basis.
“Set up an effective flood management team with seven officers who know how to take safety measures for people during the floods. Keep records of floods every year. Take preventive measures during the floods based on the record of the past floods,” he said.
As the Met department forecast heavy rain for the next two days, he directed all departments to take preventive measures.
Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar held a teleconference with the Collectors and Superintendents of Police to take stock of the situation.
He instructed them to take up relief and rescue measures on a war footing to prevent the loss of life and damage to property.
Normal life was affected in several parts of Telangana on Thursday as torrential rains continued to batter the state for the second day, leading to inundation of low-lying areas and disruption of road links. Reservoirs in the state received copious inflow and rivulets were in spate at various places following the downpour.
The CM instructed officials of all the departments to initiate precautionary measures as the weather department forecast heavy rainfall over the next two days in the state, an official release said.
He spoke to ministers and Collectors from Nizamabad and Adilabad districts over phone and gave instructions regarding the relief measures. Rao also said senior officials should be ferried by Army choppers to concerned areas in Kothagudem, Eturu Nagaram and Mangampet, it said.
NDRF teams should be deployed in Armoor, Nirmal and Bhainsa areas immediately to evacuate people stranded in the low-lying areas, it quoted the CM as saying. Directions were given to make arrangements for providing shelter, clothing and food to those affected.
Noting that very heavy rains occurred in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, he alerted officials to take steps in view of possible increase in water levels in the Krishna catchment areas. Rao, who took stock of the situation in Hyderabad following the heavy showers, wanted measures to be taken to ensure safety of people living in low-lying areas.
He suggested setting up an effective ‘Flood Management Team’ comprising seven officers with experience in dealing with floods, the release said. Rao also asked all the departments to be on alert as the weatherman predicted rainfall till August 10.
GHMC Mayor G Vijayalakshmi visited the rain-hit areas in the city today. Meanwhile, Suchitra Ella, Joint Managing Director of Bharat Biotech, shared a video highlighting the immersed roads, on twitter.
She tagged Telangana IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao and senior officials in the tweet. The Met Centre of IMD here warned that heavy to very heavy with extremely heavy rain would occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Kumram Bheem, Mancherial, Jagtial districts from 1900 hours of Thursday to 0830 hours of Friday.
It also said heavy to very heavy rains were very likely to occur at isolated places in Karimnagar, Peddapalli and other districts during the same period.
With inputs from agencies
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