Rain lashes city, CM puts officials on alert

Following a forecast of heavy rains over the next three days, the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, on Wednesday directed officials to be on high alert and evacuate people from low lying areas to temporary shelters in the city.

The weather officials have issued a warning saying isolated-heavy to very-heavy rain is expected over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including the city, during next three days. The Chief Minister held a meeting with the chief secretary, officials of the GHMC, Water Board, the Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district collectors and the police commissioner.

He wanted the officials to prevent loss of life and property and asked officials to immediately take up relief works. Stating that the main problem in the city and its outskirts is inundation of roads that causes traffic snarls, the CM told the officials to work round the clock and pump water out.

The GHMC commissioner was told to set up a control room if needed and clear all nalas and drains. Prevention of outbreak of epidemics was also a top priority.

Rain water had entered into the shops near Maithrivanam at Ameerpet and a few houses in Borabanda on Wednesday. Rainfall recorded in centimetres at 8.30 am on Wednesday: Sirpur (13 cm); Bobbili (8 cm); Asifabad (6 cm); Addanki (5 cm); Luxettipet, Mancherial and Utnoor (4 cm each); Adilabad, Medak, Ongole, Darsi, Gajapathinagaram, Gudivada, Macherla, Patapatnam (3 cm each); Machilipatnam, Vijayawada, Avanigadda, Chinnoor, Komarada, Parvathipuram, Perur, Repalle and Veeraghattam (2 cm each).