Khammam, Kothagudem witness heavy rains

Kothagudem: Several villages were cut off and standing crops inundated by rainwater on Thursday at many places in Kothagudem and Khammam districts following the incessant rains.

The water level in river Godavari increased at Bhadrachalam following the heavy rains in its catchment area with the water level crossing the 35-feet mark and the first warning level was at 43 feet.

The major and medium irrigation tanks in erstwhile Khammam were found overflowing. Streams like Munneru in Khammam, Murredu in Kothagudem and several others were in full spate due to the recent rains. Transportation was also affected in many villages due to the overflowing streams.

Officials have lifted six gates of Kinnerasani Dam at Palvancha to discharge 35, 000 cusecs of water downstream. While at the Taliperu project near Cherla, 18 gates were lifted to six-feet height for releasing 62,316 cusecs of water.

The inflow into Taliperu was 60,267 cusecs, the officials said. Low lying areas in towns of both Khammam and Kothagudem district were inundated with rainwater causing inconvenience to the residents.

A house collapsed due to rains at Burhanpuram damaging two other houses in Khammam.