Hyderabad/ Amaravati, 2 Sept

At least 16 people lost their lives in various rain-related incidents, while some persons were still missing during the current spell of heavy rainfall in Telangana even as Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy decided to urge the Centre to declare the floods in the state as a national calamity.

State IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu told reporters that full details would be known after reports on the extent of damage were received.

Revanth Reddy, who reviewed the rain situation with officials here, announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each to the kin of those who were killed in rain-related incidents, a press release said.

The state government will submit a comprehensive report on the flood damage to the Centre, it said.

The government will write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to visit the flood-affected areas in the state and also urging the Centre to declare the floods in Telangana as a national calamity.

The release also said authorities were instructed to respond quickly to the damage caused to the public.

It said compensation would be increased for the loss of cattle, goats and sheep.

During the CM's review meeting, officials have been asked to remain alert in areas where heavy rains have been forecast. District Collectors have been told to set up call centres in the districts to provide relief to the rain-hit citizens.

CM Revanth Reddy declared Rs five crore immediate assistance to the flood-hit districts of Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mahbubabad and Suryapet.

He asked officials to set up a system at the government's Command Control Centre here to deal with emergency situations.

He also directed officials to provide training to eight police battalions on par with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for emergency services during heavy rains.

The Police Commissioners of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda have been asked to address traffic problems, if any, during heavy rains, the release said.

The Chief Minister also told the officials to quickly carry out repairs to the roads damaged due to the rains and to address problems with regard to power supply.

Revanth Reddy left by road to visit rain-hit areas in Khammam and other districts.

As many as 15 people died in Andhra Pradesh due to rain-related incidents in the past three days, following unprecedented rainfall caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, the government said on Monday.

According to an official release, five persons died at Mogalrajapuram in Vijayawada due to landslides and one person each at Vijayawada Rural, G Kondru mandal and Reddygudem mandal. They all belong to NTR district.

"Five deaths in Guntur district. One teacher and two students travelling from Uppalapadu to Namburu were washed away in a local stream and an 80-year-old woman died when boulders fell on her in the first ward of Mangalagiri town," the release said.

Further, it said that another person was washed away in Kondaveedu stream at Ponnekallu village in Guntur district.

Besides rain-related deaths, three children drowned in Prakasam district's Markapuram division when they went swimming, the release said. -PTI