Waterlogging sparks health fears; bridges, roads, and colonies remain submerged
Adilabad: Floodwaters have stagnated in several areas of the erstwhile Adilabad district, particularly in low-lying colonies, raising fears of seasonal diseases and contamination of Mission Bhagiratha drinking water supplies.
Officials warned that broken or damaged Mission Bhagiratha pipelines and flood-inundated water sources could lead to contamination of drinking water supplied to government schools, colleges, and hostels if proper purification is not ensured.
Authorities said the priority is to shift flood-affected families from low-lying colonies in Adilabad and Mancherial towns to safer locations and provide them with food and shelter until the waters recede. Residents also expressed fear of snakes and other poisonous creatures entering their waterlogged houses.
Traffic movement between Telangana and Maharashtra was halted after the low-level bridge near Hudikili in Sirpur (T) mandal was submerged. In Wankidi town, floodwaters inundated the main road and several shops. With heavy rainfall expected upstream in Maharashtra, the Penganga river continued to swell for the second consecutive day on Monday.
Adilabad MLA Payal Shankar said standing crops of cotton and soya on thousands of acres along the Penganga river belt were badly damaged, causing heavy losses to farmers.
The floods have severely affected families in low-lying villages along the Penganga, Pranahita, and Godavari rivers. Many families whose homes were inundated said they were unable to cook food and were awaiting government assistance in Adilabad town.
Continuous rains have prevented streams and rivulets from receding, worsening the impact across Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Adilabad, and Mancherial districts. Floodwaters entered homes, damaging essential commodities and electronic goods.
Several culverts and bridges were damaged or washed away, disrupting connectivity to villages in Bejjur, Kautala, Dahegaon, Chinthalamanepalli, Kagaznagar, and Sirpur (T) mandals of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.
Floods also caused sand casting in agricultural fields near streams and rivulets in Indravelli and Utnoor areas, damaging crops further. In Mancherial town, colonies such as Hamali Colony, NTR Colony, Ramnagar, Brundavan Colony, Janmabhoomi Nagar, and Bypass Road were inundated.
