"Cloudburst A Foreign Conspiracy": Telangana's KCR In Flood-Hit Area

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao today said the floods in the state's Godavari region were the result of a cloudburst, suspected to be a "conspiracy planned by other countries".  

While on a tour to flood-hit Bhadrachalam, Mr Rao told reporters: "There is this new phenomenon called cloudburst. People say there is some conspiracy, we don't know how far that is true, that people from other countries are deliberately doing cloudburst in our country at certain locations. In the past they did it near Kashmir, at Ladakh-Leh, then in Uttarakhand and now we are getting some reports that they are doing it in the Godavari region.''

A cloudburst usually means an extreme amount of rain over a very short period that can lead to flood. The met office defines it as unexpected precipitation exceeding 100mm (or 10 cm) per hour over a geographical region of approximately 20 to 30 square km.  

Telangana chief secretary Somesh Kumar who accompanied the Chief Minister on the tour and Palla Rajeshwar, chairman of the government's farmer direct benefit transfer programme, Rythu Bandhu, and others, were seated on the dais when the comment was made.

Incessant rains for nearly a week had caused inundation in several areas of Telangana. At the temple town of Bhadrachalam, the water level was 70 feet, way above  the third and final flood warning that was given at 53 feet. Today the levels have come down considerably -- to 60 feet.

On Saturday, the Chief Minister reached Bhadrachalam to personally visit the flood-hit areas where he performed a "shanti puja" for "Gangamma" or the river Godavari that was in spate. He also subsequently visited Eturnagaram.

Last evening, the Chief Minister held a review meeting with ministers, MLAs and the local officials.  

A release from the Chief Minister's Office said Mr Rao has asked Finance Minister Harish Rao to set up medical camps and supply adequate medicine and food to the flood victims.