Severe Flooding in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; IMD Warns of Heavy Rain in Gujarat and Himachal

Andhra Pradesh
In Andhra Pradesh, relentless rains and severe flooding, especially in Vijayawada, have been described by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu as the “biggest disaster” he has ever witnessed. Naidu plans to request the Central government to classify the floods as a national calamity. The floods have claimed at least 17 lives. During a press conference, Naidu highlighted that the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada reached its highest floodwater level, with a discharge of 11.43 lakh cusecs, close to its maximum capacity of 11.9 lakh cusecs. While some areas, like Ajit Singh Nagar, remain submerged, water levels are gradually receding, with a decrease of 1.5 feet reported.

Telangana
In Telangana, torrential rains have led to the deaths of at least 16 people. The State government estimates the damage at ₹5,000 crore and has requested ₹2,000 crore in immediate aid from the Centre. Heavy rains have caused flooding in low-lying areas, damaged crops, and disrupted transportation links with Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has announced a ₹5 lakh ex-gratia payment for the families of those who died and has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the affected regions and declare the floods a national calamity.

Gujarat
Gujarat has also been experiencing heavy rainfall, with Bharuch city receiving 120 millimeters of rain in just two hours on Monday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts more widespread rain across the State throughout the week. The recent rains followed a brief lull after heavy showers last week led to significant flooding. The IMD has issued warnings for heavy to very heavy rain in certain districts and expects isolated heavy rain to continue until Saturday. Cyclone ‘Asna,’ which had formed off the Kutch coast, has now weakened into a depression.

Himachal Pradesh
The meteorological office in Shimla has issued warnings for low to moderate flash flood risks in several areas of Himachal Pradesh, including Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, and Kinnaur. A ‘yellow’ alert has been issued for heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning in most districts, excluding Kinnaur, Chamba, and Lahaul and Spiti. Additionally, 109 roads, including a national highway, have been closed due to heavy rains.

Delhi
In Delhi, heavy rainfall has caused significant waterlogging and traffic disruptions. The Delhi Police advised commuters to plan their travel carefully as traffic snarls have affected several key roads, including National Highway 48 and Ring Road. Waterlogging has particularly impacted travel on routes from Dhaula Kuan to Mahipalpur, the Outer Ring Road, and other major arteries.