Rain mayhem continues; no clue of missing journo

Karimnagar: Incessant rains created chaos in the lives of common people while the search was on for a missing journalist in Jagtial district on Wednesday.

Since Tuesday night, the officials and local MLA Dr. Sanjay have been conducting search operations for the journalist who was washed away in a stream while covering the effect of floods in Jagtial district.

As it has been raining continuously for the past five days, normal life was affected everywhere. With the floodwater coming from the upper area, the bridges overflowed and traffic between many villages was stopped and people fearing to leave their homes in villages and towns.

Meanwhile, due to incessant rains, agricultural work has been severely disrupted and farmers were confined to their homes. Many farmers were expressing concern that there was a danger that the crops sown would be damaged by the rains.

They were concerned that there was a possibility of serious damage to rice, maize, turmeric and soya bean crops. The old dilapidated houses and huts collapsed at many places with the heavy rains.

Rangampalli village near Peddapalli was inundated by floodwater. A rescue operation was started to save four people trapped in a function hall in the village. The power supply was stopped and the rescue teams reached the function hall with the help of rafts and brought them out safely.

Manthani town in the district has been cut off from Surayyapalli and Eglaspur villages due to the flood water. A Mata Shishu Arogya Kendram on the outskirts of the town was also caught in water-logging. Traffic between several villages in Kalvasrirampur mandal of the district has come to a standstill due to flood water.

Vehicular traffic was stopped on the main road of Peddapalli and Jagtial districts as it was inundated with flood water. Officials stopped vehicle movement on the road along with on the road leading to Metpally on Jagtial and Nizamabad road. The famous holy place Dharmapuri Temple was inundated by Godavari waters and all colonies in the town were flooded. As a result, the officials were moving the residents of the respective colonies to the rehabilitation centers.

Minister Koppula Eshwar visited the town monitoring the relief efforts. The officials of the catchment areas were alerting the people of Kadem project after issuing the third danger warning and releasing the water downstream.

Areas prone to flooding have been identified in Dharmapuri town and police were evacuating the people from the flooded areas of the town to safe areas. AR CI Naveen, SSI Vamana Murthy, District Guard Police personnel were supervising the flood management.

District Collector Anurag Jayanthi advised the people of Narmala Reservoir catchment areas to be vigilant due to heavy flood water in Upper Manair of Sircilla Gambhiraopet mandal and not to travel through the main road downstream of the dam.

With Mudubommala Peddacheruvu overflowing in Metpalli mandal of Jagtial district vehicle movement was stopped on National Highway 63 connecting Jagtial-Nizamabad districts.

At Parvati (Sundilla) barrage near Manthani 64 gates lifted and released 10,17466 cusecs of water downstream. Officials announced that while 11.026 TMC water has reached the Mid Manir project in Bowenpally mandal of Rajanna Sirisilla district, 35,950 cusecs of water was coming through the flood canal and catchment area. Also, 10,128 TMC water has reached Karimnagar Lower Manair Dam. Inflow of 6,903 cusecs of water was coming into this project.

The management of Singareni on Wednesday announced a lockout due to opening the gates of Sundilla Ellampalli barrage, which has disrupted the production of coal in one and three incline mines in the Godavarikhani area for the past five days.