Heavy rains wreak havoc in Mulugu

Hyderabad: Telangana is likely to get some respite from incessant rains from Friday. The heavy rains that the state witnessed during the last 24 hours are expected to recede. Some intermittent mild rain or drizzles are likely to occur, according to the weatherman.

Still the authorities do not want to take any risk and the state government announced a holiday for the educational institutions on Friday too and asked the people particularly those in low-lying areas to be on alert.

Meanwhile, the monsoon fury during the last 24 hours had paralyzed normal life in many parts of the state. Mulugu district was the worst affected as the people were stranded in the flood waters and some villages were marooned due to heavy inflows in the rivers adjoining the habitations.

More than 40 tourists were stranded in the dense forest surrounding the Mutyaladhara waterfalls near Veerabhadravaram village of Venakatapuram (Nugur) Mandal in Mulugu district since Wednesday night. Army choppers were pressed into service to rescue them.

As Munneru river was in spate, the movement of traffic at Keesara toll plaza on Hyderabad- Vijayawada highway was disrupted for more than three hours in the evening. Traffic has been diverted from Keesara in Nandigama, according to the police.

Reports said that one person Mahendar was washed away when he was crossing Kannaram river on a two-wheeler in Warangal district. Lakshmidevipeta village in Mulugu district recorded the highest rainfall of 65 cm in the history of Telangana.

Some old bridges were breached under the impact of heavy floods and vehicular traffic was suspended. Prakash Nagar bridge in Khammam town was closed as water level in Munneru rose above the height of the bridge.

The Health department shifted 503 pregnant women from rain-affected areas to safer locations. The authorities opened a 24/7 call centre at the PHD office (040-24651119) to coordinate and address healthcare emergencies. Many low-lying areas in Greater Hyderabad limits were also flooded with rainwater. NDRF teams and GHMC officials were flushing out the water. Miyapur, Gajularamaram and Toli Chowki areas were among the worst affected. A special flood monitoring centre has been set up in the DGP’s office at Lakdikapul to review the situation. Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari reviewed the situation with district authorities from time to time by deploying special officers to the flood-affected areas.