Telangana has been grappling with severe rainfall and rising water levels in several districts, with Bhadradri Kothagudem being one of the worst affected. The situation has led to the evacuation of several villages as the authorities work to mitigate the impact of the heavy rains and ensure the safety of the residents.
As of Friday morning, around 4,100 people have already been evacuated from various villages in Bhadradri Kothagudem district. Relief operations are currently underway, and officials plan to evacuate an additional 3,000 people to safer locations as a precautionary measure.
For the past three days, a significant part of Telangana has been on red alert due to the escalating water levels in the Krishna, Godavari, and their tributaries. On Thursday, a second alert was issued in Bhadrachalam, where the water level was recorded at 51.4 feet during the most recent reading. Authorities are predicting further rise in water levels, potentially necessitating a third warning in the area.
Overseeing the evacuation and relief operations in the flood-affected districts is Anudeep Durishetty, the former District Collector of Bhadradri Kothagudem. He spoke to TNM and provided insights into the ongoing efforts. "As of now, 4,100 people have been evacuated. The forecast indicates that water levels will continue to rise until Saturday morning. We are actively conducting relief and rescue efforts in 7 mandals adjacent to the river Godavari. In the district, we have established 72 relief centers, 23 of which are currently operational. Blankets, food, and other necessary facilities are being provided to the affected people. We aim to evacuate approximately 7,000 individuals by Friday evening," said Durishetty.
He added that a 100 teams comprising of personnel from police,revenue and panchayats departments have been deployed across the district and three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are working in the rescue operations
The heavy rains and flooding have taken a toll on the state, with at least ten flood or rainfall-related deaths reported since July 24. Several districts, including Jaishankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Khammam, Warangal, Hanmakonda, and Badradi Kothegudem, have witnessed severe inundation. Some areas in these districts have recorded exceptionally high rainfall levels, with as much as 65 cm of rainfall being reported on Thursday and Wednesday.