Modest to Heavy Rains for 3 More Days; Crop Loss in 5 Lakh Acres in Telangana

Hyderabad: Citizens in the city heaved a sigh of relief as rains slowed down after the two-week long spell. The rains not only disrupted day-to-day life, but also cause huge losses to agriculture and core sectors in the state economy. The MET department attributed the recent rains to the low pressure area over Vidarbha and adjoining North Telangana region. Though low pressure is weakening, monsoon is active. Hence, modest to heavy rains at isolated parts in Telangana are more likely, said YK Reddy, Director at MET, Hyderabad.

MET Department is yet to get clarity over LaNino. If it gets strengthened, La Nino will result in more rains in October as well, said Reddy.

Hyderabad MET Department has further said that another upper air cyclonic circulation may form by 1 October. “But, it’s away from Andaman. We have to study whether it would form into low pressure,” said Reddy.

Modest to heavy rains are likely in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana. However, this relief will only be short lived as a fresh upper air circulation is over North Andaman Sea and is likely to affect the East Coast as well as Telangana around September 29, according to Skymet. Thus, there may be an increase in the intensity of rains over Hyderabad during the last two days of September.

Highest rainfall in 100 years

So far, Hyderabad has received 425.2 mm of rainfall against its monthly mean of 132.9 mm of rainfall. Hyderabad has already surpassed the decade’s highest rainfall of 266.6 mm in September, 2007. The all-time high of monthly total rainfall stands at a whopping 499.4 mm which occurred in the year 1908. Hyderabad has already received highest rainfall in last 100 years, according to Skymet. The previous wettest spell in Hyderabad was in August 2000 when the city recorded 24 cm rainfall.

Crop Loss in 5 Lakh Acres

The record rainfall in the century has caused huge damage to crop in Telangana as it’s estimated that over five lakh acres have been submerged. Half of affected agriculture land is in Medak and Nizamabad districts. Agriculture department has sent nine teams to districts to assess the crop loss and advise to farmers on taking remedial measures. Based on the report, Telangana government will decide on compensation to farmers. The government has already decided to give 50 percent subsidy on seeds during Rabi.

Rs100-Cr Loss As 180-km Roads Damaged

GHMC officials made a preliminary estimates on loss due to damaged roads after the recent heavy rains. GHMC Commissioner Janardhan Reddy said that 180 kilometers of roads in the city were damaged due to heavy rains and flood water. The Commissioner said: “Repairing works have begun. The GHMC is taking steps to repair at least 1,500 potholes everyday. We’ll ask for funding support from the state government.”

GHMC has set up special squads to remove illegal constructions along the nalas and encroaches in tanks. The Commissioner has written a letter to Collectors of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy to hand over the 4,000 vacant Vambe flats so that it can accommodate poor families evacuated from illegal houses along the nalas.

The town planning department in GHMC is facing acute manpower shortage as it has only 76 staff as against the requirement of 268.

KCR Takes Up Districts Tour

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhara Rao on Monday left for Karimnagar. KCR cancelled Cabinet meeting scheduled on Monday and directed all the ministers and MLAs to stay in their constituencies to monitor the situation. KCR has also alerted Irrigation minister Harish Rao and officials to keep regular vigil at all the projects.

ATC didn’t allow helicopter tour owing to bad weather conditions. KCR started off by road to assess flood situation, water levels in projects and loss in the agriculture and other sectors. KCR will visit mid Maner as its spillway broke due to heavy flood water pressure.

Godavari in Spate at Bhadrachalam

The water level in Godavari at Bhadrachalam is rising. The water level was above 21 feet on Sunday and it’s expected to reach 43 feet by Monday. If the water level reaches 43 feel, officials will issue first caution, second caution for 48 feet and third caution for 53 feet. Officials expect that the water level may reach 43 feet level by Monday night.

No Production in Opencast Mines

Heavy rains disrupted production activity in all the opencast mines of Singareni Colleries. Production activity at all the opencast mines in Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal and Khammam districts have been halted and officials shifted machinery to the ground.

Water Levels at Projects

Jurala: Present water level 1043.77 feet, full water level 1045 feet, present storage 8.86 tmc, total storage 9.66 tmc.

Musi Project: Present water level 643.8 feet, full water level 645 feet, present storage 4.15 tmc, total storage 4.46 tmc.

SRSP Project: Present water level 1089.80 feet, full water level 1091 feet, present storage 83.77 tmc, total storage 90.31 tmc.

Nizam Sagar Project: Present water level 1400.5feet, full water level 1405 feet, present storage 12 tmc, total storage 17.80 tmc.

Ellampalli Project: Present water level 481 feet, full water level 485.56 feet, present storage 16.41 tmc, total storage 20.18 tmc.

Kadem Project: Present water level 697.95 feet, full water level 700 feet, present storage 7.08 tmc, total storage 7.60 tmc.

Lower Maneru Project: Present water level 914.35 feet, full water level 920 feet, present storage 19.42 tmc, total storage 24.07 tmc.

Singur Project Present water level 1716.45 feet, full water level 1717.93 feet, present storage 27.53 tmc, total storage 29.91 tmc.

Srisailam project: Present water level 880.40 feet, full water level 885.01 feet, total storage 190.33 tmc, present storage 215.78 tmc.

Nagarjuna Sagar project: Present water level 517.60 feet, full water level 590 feet, total storage 312.05 tmc, present storage 144.94 tmc.