The Met Department has forecast that 16 districts of Telangana will see heavy rains over the next three days. According to the department, a low-pressure system is likely to form in the Bay of Bengal, which will lead to heavy rainfall in the districts of Adilabad, Bhupalapally, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagitial, Mancherial, Rajanna-Sircilla, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda and other adjoining districts.
Speaking to TNM, Raja Rao, a scientist based in the Indian Meteorological Department, Hyderabad, said, “The rainfall has decreased, but the low-pressure which is likely to form in the Bay of Bengal will cause heavy rainfall in the north and east districts of the state.”
Meanwhile, a flood alert was sounded in Adilabad as the swelling Penganga River posed a threat to villages in the Jainad mandal.
However, officials confirmed that the water levels have receded. “On Friday, the river was flowing with 3,00,000 cusecs of water at a depth of 16 meter, but today the water inflow was measured at 80,000 cusecs at a depth of 7 feet,” said Ravinder, duty engineer, Penganga.
Though Adilabad received a rainfall of just 1.4 mm, it is the upstream flow of water from Maharashtra which has created a flood-like situation here.
The Adilabad District Collector’s office told TNM that they are monitoring the situation and are prepared to handle any crisis.
On Friday, Kusumanchi of Khammam district received the highest rainfall at 42.6 mm in Telangana, followed by Luxettipet at 34.6 mm. Venkatapuram in Bhupalapally, Madnur in Kamareddy and Khanpur in Nirmal received 27, 25.6 and 24.8 mm rainfall respectively.
Anticipating severe rains, the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday held a high-level review meeting with all the officials, including the Director General of Police, and instructed the state official machinery to be vigilant.
The CM had also directed authorities to be prepared for any emergency, in case it witnesses incessant rainfall over the next couple of days.
He also asked his colleagues – ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs – to be available for people in their respective districts and constituencies, and monitor the relief work.
Further, he directed the State Secretariat and a senior officer to review the situation around the clock.