Telangana under High rainfall alert: CM calls for work from home till August 16

Hyderabad: With heavy rain forecast for the next three days from August 13 to August 15, a review of the preparedness for monsoon was held by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.

The chief minister said that the IT department must review the rain situation in Hyderabad and accordingly take the decision of work from home. With the Hi-tech city area, Gachibowli, Nanakramguda, Kothapet having severe traffic problems there is a lot of traffic chaos in the city.

The chief minister also asked the education department to review the situation and accordingly announce holidays for schools and other educational institutions in the city.

Due to climate change there is very heavy downpour in two hours which would otherwise be for two months, he observed and for that reason it is important to take precautions.

In Hyderabad, he asked GHMC, HYDRAA, fire service, police, disaster management and municipal administration and urban development departments to work in co-ordination.

The CM also ordered HYDRAA to set up a toll – free number and resolve the problems of the people soon after receiving calls.

The meeting discussed the impact of heavy rains in Telangana and the major traffic problems caused in Hyderabad due to the choking of drains.

CM Revanth Reddy pushed for the following directives on flood preparedness:

Immediate actions

- All officials must remain alert and vigilant for the next 72 hours.

- Low-lying areas should be constantly monitored.

- A clear line of communication must be maintained so that all information reaches the control room immediately.

- People in flood-prone areas must be relocated to safe zones.

- The government is prepared to provide the necessary funds for rescue and relief operations.

- Strict measures must be taken to prevent any loss of life or property.

Department-specific instructions

Electricity Department: Officials should be on high alert. Mobile transformers and generators must be kept ready.

Drainage System: The drainage system should be monitored continuously.

Police: In Hyderabad, police personnel should prevent people from entering areas where water levels are dangerously high. They must also assist with traffic control across the three commissionerates.

Education: Depending on the situation, holidays should be declared for schools and colleges.

IT Employees: Encourage IT employees to work from home to reduce traffic.

Long-term preparedness and communication

- Identify areas that are likely to receive extremely heavy rainfall in advance and alert the public.

- Prepare for extreme weather events, referencing a past incident in Khammam where 42 cm of rain fell in just 2 hours.

- Staff and employees’ leaves are cancelled, and they must be available 24/7.

- Traffic on roads should be minimised as much as possible.

- An emergency toll-free number should be set up.

- FM radio stations should be used to provide continuous alerts about rain and flood situations.

- The Information Department must ensure that accurate information is provided to the media to prevent the spread of false news.

CM Revanth noted that the city’s urban infrastructure is typically built to handle up to 2 cm of rainfall in 24 hours, so preparations must be made to handle more severe events like cloudbursts.

The CM emphasised that all department officials must work in coordination over the next 72 hours.