Hyderabad: Telangana is facing a new threat from strong winds, similar to tornadoes seen in European countries. These winds have caused significant natural disasters in the region.
In the Mulugu district, over one lakh trees were uprooted in the dense reserve forest area of Medaram. This happened during heavy rains, and the winds were so strong that they caused massive damage. It is believed to be the first time that such a large number of trees, covering 500 acres, have fallen in the forest area of Telangana.
The state Forest Department discovered the extent of the damage using drones. For two days, they captured video footage and photos of the affected area to assess the situation.
Top forest officials are now visiting the site to understand what happened. They noted that the trees could have withstood the winds if the speed was below 120 km per hour. However, the intensity of these winds was similar to tornadoes and hurricanes, which are known to cause widespread destruction in the United States and Europe.
Medaram is well-known for the Sammakka Sarakka jatara, a biennial tribal festival. The recent event of one lakh trees falling is a serious concern, and officials are now studying the possible future impacts. They will also look into the role of climate change and consider measures to prevent such disasters in the future. Fortunately, the strong winds only affected the forest area, sparing nearby villages from potential harm.
State Panchayat Raj and Tribal Welfare Minister Sitakka held an emergency meeting with the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), Mr. Dobriyal. The minister discussed the damage caused by the heavy rains in the tribal-dominated Mulugu district. The meeting also decided to seek help from the Union government to restore the damaged forest area.
