Khammam: Heavy rains trigger floods, cut off villages

Khammam: Two persons were washed away in Samithisingaram village under Manuguru mandal in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, while they were attempting to cross Kodipunjulavagu river. One person was identified as Shanker from the village. Another drowned in the swirling waters during fishing in Seethavagu near Parnasala village in Cherla mandal.

Incessant rainfall during the past 24 hours threw life out of gear with overflowing streams and tanks cut off transportation at many places. The coal production was severely affected in SCCL opencast mines in the erstwhile Khammam district.

With heavy inflows of flood water into Kinnerasani reservoir at Paloncha in Kothagudem district, six gates were lifted on Friday to discharge around 3,500 cusecs of excess water downstream. Vehicular traffic came to a halt at Rajapuram following the discharge of water. Similarly at Taliperu reservoir in Cherla mandal, officials lifted 20 gates to discharge 27,660 cusecs of excess water downstream. The current water level was 69.92 metres while the full reservoir level was 74 metres. The residents in low lying areas were alerted as water was discharged. At Koyagudem, the office of SVBC company were inundated by rainwater. A piece of land was sunk at 21 incline closed mine area in Yellandu mandal causing panic among the locals.

On the other hand, a temporary bridge at Maturpet in Madhira mandal was washed away, affecting transportation to five villages. Gondigudem and Tummalacheruvu villages in Aswapuram mandal were disconnected as Isukavagu was overflowing due rains.

With overflowing streams and tanks, low-lying areas in many mandals in both Kothagudem and Khammam districts were inundated. Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar directed the district officials to be alert and monitor the rain situation to avoid any untoward incidents.

The district police officials appealed to the public to be cautious and not to attempt to cross overflowing streams and to contact the local police in case of any trouble. An unidentified man was trapped between two overflowing streams at Sompalli in Burgampad mandals and the locals alerted the police.

In Khammam district the highest rainfall of 14 cm was recorded in Kusumanchi mandal. Eight mandals in the district received rainfall of above 10cm while nine received above 5cm rainfall.

In Kothagudem, two places Sitarampatnam and Yanambailu in Paloncha mandal received above 10cm rainfall. Yellandu received 11 cm rainfall while six mandals received above 5cm rainfall in the past 24-hours, officials said.