Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are both struggling to cope under the impact of incessant rainfall over the past 3 days, which has claimed at least 35 lives across the two states. The downpour has caused severe damage to infrastructure, rail tracks, roads, and agricultural lands, leading to widespread disruption of daily life. The heavy rains have also forced the cancellation and diversion of trains.
In Andhra Pradesh, 19 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents, while 14 fatalities have been reported in neighbouring Telangana. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more rainfall in parts of both states on September 3. In Telangana, the IMD has issued warnings of heavy rains in several districts, including Adilabad, Nizamabad, and Nirmal, advising local authorities to remain vigilant.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has urged district collectors and officials to be on high alert and to prepare for the possible evacuation of residents from low-lying areas to relief camps. The state government, estimating the damage at Rs 5,000 crore, has requested immediate assistance of Rs 2,000 crore from the Union Government. In a meeting held in Hyderabad, Revanth appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the flood-affected areas and declare the floods a national calamity. He also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of each of the deceased. A press release by the Telangana government said compensation would be increased for the loss of cattle, goats and sheep.
In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu described the recent torrential rains and subsequent floods, particularly in Vijayawada, as the "biggest disaster" he has witnessed in his political career. On September 2, Naidu also announced that he would request the Union government to declare the floods in the state a national calamity. "In my career, this is the biggest disaster...We had some events like Hudhud hurricane and Titli cyclone but compared to these, here the human suffering and property loss is the biggest," Naidu stated during a press conference at the NTR district collectorate.