The Hindu : Front Page : 15 killed in Karimnagar floods

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Wednesday, Sep 20, 2006
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15 killed in Karimnagar floods

Staff Reporter

Incessant rain plays havoc, claims 25 lives in the State

GONE WITH THE SWIRL: A portion of the Rajiv Rahadari, State highway, washed away at Thotapally in Bejjanki mandal in flash floods on Tuesday. - Photo: R. Raju

KARIMNAGAR: Fifteen persons were killed in flash floods in Karimnagar district on Wednesday following incessant rain that wreaked havoc to road communication and irrigation tanks.

Five them were killed in the district headquarters town of Karimnagar, which experienced a record rainfall of 24 cm. Several low-lying colonies were in waist-deep water forcing people to climb to their rooftops along with valuables. Among them were Ganeshnagar, Laxminagar, Baghathnagar, Kashmirgadda, Tirumalanagar, Jyothinagar, Indiranagar, Kharkhanagadda, Indiranagar and Adarshnagar.

Meanwhile, heavy rain, continuing for the fifth day, claimed 25 lives all over the State and caused flash floods in six other districts also. At least 100 villages in the north Telangana, which bore the brunt this time, were inundated.

Nearly 300 houses in the town were completely destroyed and 3,500 houses partially damaged. Flood water entered the Collectorate building complex and the offices of the District Medical & Health Officer and the Karimnagar Deputy Superintendent of Police damaging office records and computers. Power supply was disconnected in several areas of the town.

As many as 391 tanks were breached, including the Manakondur tank that irrigates about 2,000 acres. Crops over an extent of 5,000 acres were damaged, according to initial estimates. The floods were attributed to very heavy rain in the catchment area of the Godavari which resulted in the death of two more persons in Khammam district. Parts of Adilabad and Warangal districts were also in the grip of floods.

Road connectivity cut

Road connectivity with Hyderabad was snapped as the Rajiv Rahadari State Highway overflowed with water when several tanks breached. Traffic was diverted via Husnabad and Sircilla regions to Hyderabad. The road between Karimnagar and Adilabad districts was also disconnected as the Godavari flowed over the Rayapatnam bridge.

Minister for Sports M Satyanaryana Rao along with district officials visited the flood-affected colonies of Karimnagar town braving rain and assured full Government assistance to the victims. All the educational institutions declared a holiday because of rain.

District Collector M. V. Satyanarayana and SP D. S. Chauhan said that they rescued about 2,000 people from three slums in Karimnagar town and shifted them to relief camps. Two other relief camps had been opened in Peddapalli mandal for about 500 people.

The district received an average rainfall of 14.1 cm, while Karimnagar mandal accounted for 24 cm, Manakondur 26.5 cm, Thimmapur 31.5 cm, Bejjanki 20 cm. The Chigurumamidi mandal recorded a high of 44 cm of rain. A control room (0878-2240276) has been opened at the police headquarters to monitor the flood situation.

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