Date:10/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/10/stories/2005071015450100.htm

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Incessant rain in State; 5 washed away

Special Correspondent

Flash floods in rivulets and streams; Godavari rising at several places

THE DELUGE: Non-stop showers in Hyderabad on Saturday, especially the old city, left most of the roads inundated like this near Malakpet. The city received 8 cm of rainfall for the day. — Photo: K. Ramesh Babu

HYDERABAD: At least five persons were washed away in forest streams in Khammam district while the level of water in Krishna and Godavari rivers rose rapidly in the wake of incessant rains for the second consecutive day in coastal Andhra and Telangana and the catchment areas in Karnataka and Maharashtra.

All the victims were killed in the tribal areas following flash floods in rivulets and streams like Murreduvagu and Pedavagu, which empty into the Godavari. Levels in the Godavari rose at several places but they were well below the first warning level. Its major tributaries-- Taliperu and Sabari-- were rising rapidly forcing engineers to release 40,000 cusecs from a project across the former.

A huge quantity of 1.07 lakh cusecs of water was flowing into the sea from Dowleswaram but there was no immediate threat of flood either at Bhadrachalam upstream or at other points. Heavy rainfall in Chattisgarh caused flash floods in Paleru river in Khammam district.

Farm operations

The heavy rains are expected to boost agricultural operations in the Krishna delta. Over 93,000 cusecs of water released from Narayanpur dam in Karnataka is expected to reach Jurala project in Andhra Pradesh by Sunday.

Several tributaries of Krishna downstream of Nagarjunasagar dam were in spate and engineers at Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada were anticipating inflows of 50,000 to 60,000 cusecs.

The low-pressure area, which suddenly rendered a sluggish South-West monsoon active, is likely to last for another 36 hours. As a result, more rains can be expected in coastal Andhra Pradesh and in the districts of Khammam, Ranga Reddy, Warangal and Nalgonda on Sunday also.

The Chief Secretary Mohan Kanda, held an inter-departmental meeting to review the situation. He directed officials to organise night patrolling in vulnerable areas and set up relief camps wherever necessary. The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, spoke to him from Dubai and asked him to closely closely monitor the situation, especially in Warangal, Khammam, East and West Godavari.

Hyderabad worst-hit

The meeting was informed that there was no significant loss of property or damage except for some trees falling and obstruction of traffic in Adilabad and Warangal districts.

Among the cities and towns, Hyderabad was the worst affected with several low-lying areas remaining under knee-deep water following more than 70 mm of rain for the last 24 hours.

Four colonies near Bandacheruvu in Malkajgiri mandal in Ranga Reddy faced inundation as the water levels rose to three feet due to a breach in the tank.

Palair Bridge in Khammam district received 180 mm of rain and Yellandu 130 mm for the 24-hour period up to 8.30 am on Saturday. Khammam received 100 mm, Rajahmundry 50 mm, Guntur, Nalgonda, Nizamabad 30 mm each, Machilipatnam 20 mm, Kurnool and Vijayawada Airport 10 mm each.