Cyclone Gulab: Rains lash several parts of Telangana; government offices, schools, colleges closed today

Rains pounded several parts of Telangana on Monday, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that heavy rains are expected at isolated places in different districts of the State over the next 48 hours. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao took stock of the situation with Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar.

Rao directed the Chief Secretary to take necessary precautions against any loss of life or property due to heavy rains forecast across the State for another two days due to the impact of cyclone 'Gulab', an official press release said.

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The Chief Minister said all government offices, including schools, colleges and educational institutions in the State, would remain closed on Tuesday due to heavy rains.

Examinations of engineering and degree courses scheduled for September 28 and 29 were also postponed in view of the heavy rains.

The Chief Secretary said the departments of Revenue, Police, Fire Services, Municipal, Panchayati Raj, Irrigation, Roads and Buildings should be on emergency duty to ensure that no property or lives are lost due to heavy rains, the release added.

The IMD, which issued a red alert to 14 districts of the State, warned of heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain that are very likely to occur at isolated places in Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagityal, Rajanna Sircilla, Karimnagar, Peddapally, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam, Mahabubabad, Warangal (Rural), Warangal (Urban), Janagaon, Siddipet, Kamareddy districts.

The rains would result in massive water-pooling on roads and low-lying areas in most places and agriculture land submerge/crop damage, it said, adding, thunderstorm accompanied by lightning with wind speed 30-40 kmph is very likely to occur at isolated places in all the districts. Bachodu in Khammam district received highest rainfall of 151.5 mm followed by Wyra (141.5 mm) till 3 PM today. Similarly, several parts of Hyderabad also witnessed rains since this morning.

The downpour caused waterlogging on some roads and low-lying areas. The IMD further warned of heavy rain that is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagityal, Rajanna Sircilla, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Medak and Kamareddy districts of Telangana between 0830 hours of September 28 and 0830 hours of September 29. Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning very likely to occur at places in all the districts of Telangana.

Meanwhile, Somesh Kumar once again held a teleconference with District Collectors in the wake of heavy rains. Kumar said Collectors have been directed to remain vigilant in the wake of warnings from the Meteorological Department that there will be heavy rains for another two days across the State.

He said the Revenue, Police, Panchayati Raj, Irrigation and Fire departments in the district should work in tandem. If necessary, services of NDRF teams in Hyderabad, Kothagudem and Warangal should be utilised, he said, adding separate control room should be set up in each District Collectorate office and information should be provided to the control room set up in the Secretariat. The Chief Secretary further said the situation should be reviewed by appointing Special Officers at problematic areas such as inland areas, ponds, ditches and bridges.

Telangana Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy said he had directed the Police Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to work in coordination with the District Collectors.

The police advised citizens to stay indoors unless needed. "Do not cross overflowing streams. Remain indoors in view of heavy rainfall. Dial 100 in case of emergency," they said.