Heavy rains continue to lash Telangana; CM directs officials to be on alert

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday instructed Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to alert all departments concerned and take quick safety measures in the wake of incessant rains in the State.

Following a red alert in Telangana and also in Maharashtra, the Chief Minister said he would review the situation from time to time and also hold video conference today (Saturday) or tomorrow (Sunday), an official release said.

Making an appeal to people not to take any risks during heavy rains, he urged the public to not venture out of their homes unless there is an emergency and take self-precautions.

Low-lying areas faced inundation while rivulets were in spate at several places following incessant rains in the last few days.

Navipet in Nizamabad district received 23 cms of rain, the Met Centre of IMD here said.

Rainfall led to water-logging in low-lying areas, while tanks received copious inflows in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts.

KCR asked the Chief Secretary to hold video conferences with District Collectors and alert NDRF and Rescue teams in the flood-prone areas.

He said the Ministers, MPs, MLAs, Local Body representatives and people representatives should be alert in their respective areas. He called upon people's representatives to help the publice in rescue operations and ensure no damages occurred.

In the wake of heavy inflows and flooding in River Godavari and Pranahitha, KCR alerted the State irrigation officials and instructed them to take necessary steps.

In its daily weather report, the Met Centre said extremely heavy rain was recorded at isolated places in Nizamabad district. Downpour was reported at many places in Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Nizamabad and Rajanna Sircilla districts.

"Southwest monsoon has been vigorous over Telangana," it said.

In its weather warnings, it said heavy to very heavy with extremely heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, and other districts from Saturday to Sunday morning.

Following the heavy rain, the Chief Minister deferred Revenue Awareness Programme with Ministers, MLAs and Collectors to be held at Pragati Bhavan on July 11.

He said the proposed State-wide Revenue Sadassulu' from July 15 was also postponed. He said the new schedule for the conduct of two programmes would be announced after normal weather conditions are restored in the State.

Meanwhile, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor Vijayalakshmi R Gadwal held a tele-conference with officials and directed them to take up necessary relief works.

She asked them to pay special attention to low-lying areas, an official release said.