Telangana Rain:16 Dead, CM Seeks National Calamity Status

Heavy rain in Telangana has resulted in the tragic loss of at least 16 lives. The Telangana government, led by Revanth Reddy, has announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the families of those who perished in the downpour, and has urgently appealed to the Centre for immediate aid.

₹5,000 Crore in Damages, Assistance Sought

The state government has estimated the damage caused by the floods at approximately ₹5,000 crore, based on preliminary assessments. Consequently, Telangana has requested immediate financial assistance of ₹2,000 crore from the Central government. Additionally, Chief Minister Reddy has called for the floods to be declared a national calamity.

The relentless rainfall has inundated low-lying areas, destroyed agricultural crops, and severely disrupted Telangana’s rail and road connections with neighboring Andhra Pradesh. The floodwaters have caused significant property damage, particularly in the Khammam district, where household items were swept away and debris accumulated around homes.

Transportation in Telangana has been heavily impacted by the rains, with gravel being washed away from train tracks on multiple routes, leading to significant delays. Restoration efforts are currently underway. On the Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway near Kodada, several lorries were stranded due to waterlogged roads, with officials advising travelers to use the Narkatpalli-Addanki highway as an alternative route.

Rising Waters and Continued Rain Forecast

The overflowing Munneru rivulet has exacerbated the situation, flooding nearby localities and forcing residents to contend with water entering their homes and washing away belongings. The Meteorological Centre in Telangana has forecasted continued heavy rain in districts like Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagtial, Sangareddy, Medak, and Kamareddy until 8:30 am on September 3, issuing a yellow alert for the area.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have both spoken with Chief Minister Reddy, offering assurances of all possible support to the state. Reddy has also requested that the Prime Minister visit the affected areas to personally assess the situation.