Heavy rains since Saturday have unleashed widespread flooding across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, severely disrupting life and infrastructure. The relentless downpour prompted South Central Railway to cancel 99 trains and divert 54 others, as waterlogged tracks in various parts of Telangana remain inoperable. Tragically, over 27 lives have been lost in rain-related incidents across both states.
In Andhra Pradesh, the government, supported by the Centre, has deployed 40 power boats to assist in flood relief operations in Vijayawada. The Union Home Ministry assured Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu that six helicopters would be dispatched to bolster rescue efforts.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas across both states, with the warning extending until 8:30 a.m. on September 2. The continuous rainfall has caused severe flooding, leading to widespread damage and connectivity disruptions.
In Telangana, nine people have died due to rain-related accidents, despite precautionary measures. The state capital, Hyderabad, experienced significant waterlogging, prompting the closure of all schools on September 2. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy convened an emergency meeting to assess the situation.
In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reported that 17,000 people have been evacuated to 107 relief camps. Additionally, over 1.1 lakh hectares of agricultural fields and 7,360 hectares of horticultural fields have suffered damage. The cities of Vijayawada and Guntur are particularly hard hit, with extensive flooding reported.
The situation has drawn national attention, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah assuring the chief ministers of both states of full support from the Union government. To aid in flood relief and rescue operations, 26 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed, with 14 more on their way to the affected regions.
