Downpour wreaks havoc in old Karimnagar district

Karimnagar: The heavy rains that have been lashing the district for the past four days have made lakes, tanks and reservoirs to overflow and also flooded hundreds of houses, made several trees crashing down, crop loss at several places in the undivided Karimnagar district.

For the past five days, Karimnagar district recorded 255.3 mm rainfall. The highest rainfall was recorded in Chigurumamidi mandal with about 8 mm on Sunday.

Peddapalli district received an average of 55.7 mm rainfall; Rajanna Sircilla district received 41.8 mm; and Jagtial district received 66.61 mm. In Rajanna Sircilla district, water level of Mid Manair dam has reached159.2 meters and a slight leakage occurred in MMD right canal. Crops were damaged in Ganneruvaram and Chigurumamidi mandals and several villages were drowned in Shankarpatnam, Huzurabad and Jammikunta mandals of Karimnagar district.

Jagtial District Collector G Ravi ordered the officials concerned to inspect the villages present in the 18 mandals of the district and estimate crop damage due to heavy rains.

In the industrial area of Godavarikhani in Peddapalli district, about 40,000 tonnes of coal production was stalled due to heavy rains.

800 lakes in Karimnagar district, 230 lakes in Peddapalli, 150 lakes in Sircilla and 200 lakes in Jagtial were overflowing. Health Minister Eatala Rajendar inspected several villages, which were drowned in the rainwater here in Huzurabad and Manakondur mandals of the Karimnagar district.

He said the officials of irrigation, agriculture and revenue departments will soon visit all villages and estimate the damage occurred due to heavy rains. Once the estimation report comes, the government will help the victims, he assured.

The district administrations of Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Rajanna Sircilla and Jagtial directed the officials concerned to take necessary precautionary steps to prevent any untoward incidents such as leakage of canals, tanks and reservoirs due to heavy rains in their respective districts.

Following the orders of higher authorities, all gram panchayats and other departments along with officials of irrigation, revenue, medical and health departments have put high alert.

BC Welfare Minister Gangula Kamalakar along with City Mayor Y Sunil Rao and Municipal Commissioner V Kranthi inspected various colonies that were drowned and also inspected Lower Manair Dam. As it was receiving heavy water inflow, the Minister ordered the officials to be on high alert and lift the gates and to shift the people living under catchment areas of LMD to rehabilitation centres.

Help lines and help desks were established in Peddapalli district with mobile number 9177641042. The helpline number is 9398684240 in Rajanna Sircilla district and the help line number is 0878-2234733 and 2234731 in Karimnagar district.

Karimnagar District Collector K Shashanka said helplines were established for providing rehabilitation to people living in low lying areas and facilities like free meals and drinking water are provided at the rehabilitation centres.