Rain kills 13 in Andhra, Telangana; Mumbai reels too

New Delhi: After few days of relative lull, heavy rain lashed some parts of the country claiming 13 lives in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana while also troubling Mumbaikars. Andhra Pradesh reported four fresh rain-related deaths on Friday which took the toll to nine - six in Guntur district, three in Visakhapatnam. In Medak district of neighbouring Telangana, four persons were killed and six others injured in separate rain-related incidents. In Andhra Pradesh, the K L Rao Sagar reservoir is almost filled due to copious showers in Guntur and the upper catchment areas of the Krishna river. While the full level capacity is 45.77 tmc ft, it is now holding 30 tmcft of water. As much as 1.51 lakh cusecs of flood water is being discharged from K L Rao Sagar reservoir which is reaching Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada on Krishna. The Barrage is overflowing as close to 2 lakh cusecs of water flowing in. This is the first time in over five years that the Barrage has witnessed such massive inflow. Train services between Guntur and Secunderabad remained suspended for the second consecutive day as over two km tracks near Sattenapalli were washed away due to overflowing rivulets. Incessant rains continued to batter Hyderabad for the third day, prompting the Telangana government to ask IT companies there to allow their employees work from home as it sought Army's help in rescue operation in some areas. The state government declared a holiday for educational institutions in Greater Hyderabad area today and tomorrow. "They (Army) have been given maps and other information of areas like Gachibowli, Nizampet, Alwal and Hakimpet. They are willing to swing into action whenever we call them," an official said. Some localities in the low-lying areas of Miyapur, Bachupalli and Nizampet continue to be inundated since the last two days. GHMC has been supplying food packets to the people in rain-affected areas. Mumbaikars this morning woke up to heavy showers as intermittent rains continued to lash the city and its outskirts for sixth day even as the weatherman predicted more heavy downpour in the metropolis. According to disaster management control room of the civic body, no injury or casualty has been reported so far. The disaster management cell said they have received several complaints of potholes on roads across the cities, which have been causing inconvenience to the motorists. "Heavy to very heavy rains are likely to occur at one or vtwo places in the next 24 hours," IMD, Mumbai Director V K Rajiv said.