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Hyderabad: Warangal and Hanamkonda towns in Telangana were inundated on Thursday following extremely heavy rainfall due to the impact of severe cyclonic storm Montha, which weakened into a deep depression over coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjacent Telangana.
Heavy rains wreaked havoc in Warangal, Karimnagar, Siddipet, Nalgonda, Khammam and other districts. Road and rail traffic was disrupted due to flooding of roads and railway tracks while there was widespread damage to crops.
On Wednesday, Bhimdevarapalle in Hanamkonda district recorded the highest rainfall of 41.9 cm.
According to the Telangana Development Planning Society, 35 places received extremely heavy rainfall of more than 20.50 cm, while 68 places recorded rainfall of more than 11.50 cm.
Due to incessant rains, many residential areas in Warangal and nearby towns Hanamkonda and Kazipet were submerged.
Hunter Road, which connects Warangal and Hanamkonda, was flooded due to the overflowing dam stream, halting vehicular movement.
Traffic on the Warangal-Mulugu road was also disrupted due to overflowing drains.
Road connectivity to Bhadrakali temple was also lost due to flood. Due to the overflowing of Bhadrakali lake, nearby colonies have been flooded.
According to Warangal Mayor Gundu Sudharani, around 45 areas under Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) limits have been flooded.
He said around 1,200 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas and shifted to rehabilitation centres.
Seven teams of staff from the State Disaster Response Force, Engineering and Sanitation Wing were engaged in rescue operations. Boats were pressed into service to rescue people.
Officials were using drones to provide food, water and essential items to people stranded in the floods.
The situation has worsened due to overflowing tanks and water streams in Warangal and Hanamkonda districts. Hanamkonda bus station was flooded after heavy rains.
A Road Transport Corporation bus got stuck in flood waters at Upparpalli village in Vardhanpet mandal of Warangal district. The Warangal-bound bus got stuck after water from an overflowing lake filled the road. However, the passengers managed to get out safely.
Meanwhile, Endowments and Forests Minister Konda Surekha visited flood-affected parts of Warangal city. He spoke on phone to the people stranded in submerged areas and assured them of all possible help.
MP Kadiyam Kaviya and Warangal district Collector Satya Sharada also visited flood-hit areas.
Due to heavy rains, there was sudden flood in Saidapur mandal of Karimnagar district. Some villages in the mandal were cut off due to the canal breaking in Venkapalli, flooding of roads.
Meanwhile, flooding in Munneru river in Khammam city left nearby residential colonies inundated. Many cars were washed away in the flood. About 100 families were shifted to relief camps.
The water level in Munneru reached 24.7 feet. Authorities have issued a third flood warning. The water level continues to rise due to heavy flow from the upper reaches of the river. Flood water has also flooded the Khammam-Bonakal road, due to which vehicular traffic has come to a halt.
–IANS