Rains abate but water bodies continue to overflow

Hyderabad: From a deep deficit, the current spell of rains have pushed the state into the excess rainfall zone. Data showed that the state had received 62 per cent excess rainfall from June 1 to July 29 and dams, rivers, tanks and lakes were state overflowing with a couple of months still left for the monsoon. It is only the major dams in the Krishna basin — Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar — that have to receive substantial inflows.

The highest rainfall this monsoon in a 24-hour period was recorded in Laxmidevipeta in Mulugu on July 27 with a rainfall of 649.8 mm.

From June 1 to July 29, the state received an average cumulative rainfall of 558.5 mm against the normal of 344.6 mm. 19 districts recording excess rains of 60 per cent and above, 12 districts recording 20 per cent to 59 per cent excess and only two districts received normal rainfall according to the TS development and planning society.

According to the irrigation department, Nizamsagar, Sriramsagar, Kaddam, Sripada Yellampally and Bhadrachalam dam in the Godavari basin are overflowing, whereas in the Krishna basin Almatti, Jurala and Narayanpur reservoirs were overflowing as of Saturday.

A total of 18,490 tanks were flooded and overflowing statewide. In the city limits, the twin reservoirs of Himayatsagar and Osmansagar were overflowing despite a break from rains.

As of Friday, the highest rainfall in the state was 17.3 mm in Akkapur in Nirmal district, while in the city limits very light rains were experienced with the highest of 1.5mm in GajulaRamaram.