Workers remove a fallen tree brought down by strong winds and rains at Lakdi Ka Pul in Hyderabad on September 1, 2024.
| Photo Credit: G. Ramakrishna
The incessant rains and subsequent floods in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in Vijayawada, is the “biggest disaster” in the State, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu witnessed in his political career, saying that he will request the Central government to declare the flood in the State as a national calamity.
Andhra Pradesh
At least 17 people have been killed in rain-related incidents and the floods.
“In my career, this is the biggest disaster…We had some events like Hudhud hurricane and Titli cyclone but compared to these, here the human suffering and property loss is the biggest,” Mr. Naidu told a press conference at the NTR district collectorate late Monday (September 2, 2024).
He said the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada witnessed its highest floodwater level and recorded a discharge of 11.43 lakh cusecs. The barrage was designed to withstand a maximum of 11.9 lakh cusecs of floodwater. He said some places such as Ajit Singh Nagar are still submerged but floodwater is slowly receding. The floodwater has receded by 1.5 feet in Ajit Singh Nagar and also started decreasing in Bhavanipuram, according to Mr. Naidu.
Telangana
At least 16 people lost their lives in various rain-related incidents as torrential rains lashed Telangana and the State government on Monday estimated the damage at ₹5,000 crore and sought an immediate assistance of ₹2,000 crore from the Centre.
The incessant rainfall caused inundation of low-lying areas, damage to agricultural crops and disruption of the State’s rail and road links with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh each to the kin of those who were killed in the rain-related incidents, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the rain-hit areas and to declare the floods as a national calamity.
Gujarat
Several parts of Gujarat received heavy rain on Monday, with Bharuch city getting 120 millimetres between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., officials said.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast widespread rain in the State this week. Monday’s rain came after a two-day pause. The State had seen extremely heavy rains last week, which caused widespread flooding.
The IMD has forecast ‘heavy to very heavy’ rain in isolated places in Chhota Udepur, Narmada and Surat districts till Wednesday morning. It has also predicted widespread rain across the State during the next three days, with isolated heavy rain to continue in some parts till Saturday.
The IMD said cyclone ‘Asna’ that had formed off the coast of Kutch on Friday had turned into a depression and moved further south-southwestwards in the Arabian sea on Monday.
Himachal Pradesh
The meteorological office in Shimla warned of low to moderate flash flood risk in several parts of Himachal Pradesh, including Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur and Kinnaur, until Tuesday (September 3, 2024) afternoon.
It also issued a ‘yellow’ alert of heavy rain, thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places in nine out of 12 districts in the state, barring Kinnaur, Chamba and Lahaul and Spiti till Tuesday
.Meanwhile, 109 roads, including a national highway, across the State were closed on Monday following heavy rains in several areas, the State emergency operation centre said.
Delhi
The Delhi Police asked commuters to plan their peak-hour travel carefully after traffic snarls in several places due to waterlogging and uprooting of trees following rainfall on Monday.
In a post on X, the police said traffic was affected on both carriageways of National Highway 48 from Dhaula Kuan towards Mahipalpur and vice-versa due to waterlogging.
Traffic was also hit on Ring Road on the carriageway from DND towards the Moolchand underpass due to waterlogging; on both carriageways from Road No 13 towards Okhla Estate Road; both carriageways of the Outer Ring Road; Safdarjang towards Dhaula Kuan; and Badarpur towards Mehrauli, among others.
(With inputs from PTI)
