New Delhi: At least 30 people died in rain-related incidents in Telangana since Tuesday. Of these, at least 18 deaths were reported in the Greater Hyderabad area, where unabating rain resulted in flash floods in many areas.On Wednesday alone, 25 deaths were reported in rain-related incidents were reported in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, as heavy downpour also wreaked havoc in Karnataka as a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal crossed the coast in Kakinada, leaving behind a trail of destruction in the southern states.Six more people, including four members of a family, were killed in a wall collapse triggered by heavy rains in Pandharpur town of Maharashtra’s Solapur district during the day.According to news agency PTI, 15 people died in Hyderabad following incessant rainfall on Wednesday, which led to waterlogging on roads and inundation of some low-lying areas in the city. The city recorded its highest rainfall in a century, receiving over 200 mm of rainfall, according to reports. At least four people are missing.The deaths in Hyderabad were mostly caused by wall and house collapses triggered by the heavy downpour. The Telangana government had declared Wednesday and Thursday as holidays for all private institutions, offices, non-essential services within the Outer Ring Road area in view of the rains.People were advised to stay indoors. Three members of a family, including a child, died in a house collapse in Gaganpahad area of Shamshabad. Ten people died in two wall collapse incidents in the Chandrayangutta police station limits.A 40-year-old woman and her daughter died after the roof of their house fell on them in the Ibrahimpatnam area of the city on Tuesday night. Several localities in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits received very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall leading to waterlogging on several roads and low-lying areas.In other parts of the state, rivulets and other water bodies were in spate in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district following heavy rains. People have been advised not to travel on or cross such rivulets and inundated roads.Police teams and personnel of Disaster Response Force (DRF) of GHMC and NDRF evacuated several families from different localities that were flooded, even as rescue efforts were on in many other areas. The Army has also joined the rescue efforts.NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have rescued 74 persons till now in Bandangpet area: Satya Pradhan, Director General of NDRF. #HyderabadRains pic.twitter.com/jogottaINd— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2020Several trees and electricity poles were uprooted due to the deluge. Power supply was suspended in most parts of the state capital on Tuesday as a precaution.Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy after the two southern states were hit by heavy rains and assured them of all possible support and assistance from the Centre in the rescue-and-relief work.At least 10 dead in Andhra Pradesh In Andhra Pradesh, a statement by the Chief Minister’s Office said at least 10 people have died in rain-related incidents over the past two days. The chief minister ordered that ex-gratia be immediately paid to the victims’ families. He asked officials to focus on restoration of power supply and repair damaged roads on a war-footing.For the second time in less than 20 days, the Krishna river remained swollen on Wednesday as it received heavy inflows due to rainfall and gates being opened upstream over the last couple of days.A breach occurred to the Sarada river bund near Yalamanchili in Visakhapatnam district, inundating over 2,000 acres of agricultural fields in the vicinity. The flood impact was felt in Chodavaram, Payakaraopeta, Yalamanchili and Anakapalli mandals in the district.The famous nurseries at Kadiyam near Rajamahendravaram were flooded due to downpour in East Godavari district. The Vamsadhara river in Srikakulam district received heavy flood under the impact of heavy rain in the catchment area in neighbouring Odisha.In Karnataka, all major dams in the Cauvery and the Krishna basins are brimming and their floodgates were opened. Officials said Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Bidar were severely affected as small streams were in spate with many lakes overflowing and inundating villages.In Chincholi taluk of Kalaburagi district, the stop-gates of Nagarala and Chandrampalli lakes were opened, flooding nearby villages. Normal life was paralysed as a major lake overflowed in Aland taluk of Kalaburagi district.In Yargol village of Yadgir district, water gushed out of weir of the lake, resulting in damage to crops and water-logging.Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said winter could be colder this season due to the prevailing La Nina conditions.“As weak La Nina condition is prevailing, we can expect more cold this year. The El Nino and La Nina conditions play a dominant role if you consider the large scale factor for the occurrence of cold wave conditions,” IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said.He was addressing a webinar on ‘Cold Wave Risk Reduction’ organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). “La Nina conditions are favourable for cold wave conditions, while El Nino conditions are unfavourable for it,” he added.An IMD weather bulletin said heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy falls (>20 cm per day) at isolated places was very likely over Konkan and Goa and heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over Coastal Karnataka and Madhya Maharashtra on October 15.Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea over Gulf of Mannar, Comorin area and Southwest Bay of Bengal, along and off Karnataka-Kerala coats and north Andaman Sea during 14th-15th October, east-central and adjoining north-east Arabian Sea and along and off Maharashtra-south Gujarat coast during 14th-18th October, the department said.(With PTI inputs)
