WARANGAL: Cyclone Montha’s floodwaters, which paralysed Hanamkonda and Warangal for two days, have now started to drain, allowing the impacted districts to gradually recover. But now, they are dealing with a lot of muck, a bad smell, and damage to their houses and possessions. Vivek Nagar, Gokul Nagar, Amaravati Nagar, Kuda Colony, Gandhi Nagar, TV Tower Colony, Kapuwada, Rangampet, Kakatiya Colony, Saraswathi Nagar, Sammaiah Nagar, Indiramma Colony, Julaiwada, Pragathi Nagar, Nagendra Nagar, Kishanpura, Bokkalagadda, and Ramnagar were among the numerous colonies that were found to have been severely damaged by the retreating waters.
Even when the rain stopped, Bhadrakali Lake was still experiencing a high volume of floodwater, which made the situation hazardous. After hours of struggling in the powerful currents, a herd of nine buffaloes finally made it safely to the shore. Even after the rain stopped, the lake’s high outflow demonstrated the cyclone’s devastating effects. Residents’ problems were exacerbated by the significant erosion of the 100-foot road that connected Hanamkonda and Kazipet. Residents were irate, claiming that authorities had not determined the storm’s intensity or offered aid in a timely manner. Many claimed that they were stranded in their houses without access to electricity, food, or water.
Indiramma Colony resident K. Manohar claimed that authorities were unable to predict the storm’s effects and left locals without basic supplies for over twenty-four hours. He stated that schoolbooks and home items were harmed when floodwater combined with sewage from overflowing drains. According to him, “a lot of us are left with nothing but the clothes we are wearing.” Sandhya, a widow with two kids, claimed that everything in her life—including her sewing machine—was destroyed. She sobbed as she added, “I don’t know how to start over or feed my children.”
Sammaiah Nagar residents were furious and confronted Warangal city mayor Gundu Sudharani, accusing local politicians of neglecting the years-long inundation. Tent house owner P. Vijay Kumar claimed to have lost ₹15 lakh worth of property and accused officials of disregarding requests to open the Waddepally Lake floodgates in order to relieve strain on neighbouring colonies. Despite the release of crores for flood management, Prabhakara Chary, a retired teacher from Pragathi Nagar, claimed that the issue remained for 15 years. “After every disaster, officials and leaders only come for pictures,” he stated. In the meantime, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and municipal employees eventually started cleaning up the impacted colonies, clearing away sludge and debris. According to locals, this was one of the greatest floods the city has ever seen, causing a great deal of devastation and misery.
