Despite heavy rains lashing a majority of districts in Telangana, many tanks remain worryingly underfilled. Of the 34,716 irrigation tanks in the state, around 65% are at full capacity, while 35% remain empty or severely underfilled. Among these, 6,000 ponds are less than half full, with 2,200 receiving less than 25% of their expected water levels.
In the Hyderabad circle, which covers districts like Ranga Reddy, Medchal Malkajgiri, 40% of the 2,599 tanks remain unfilled. Although there was heavy rainfall in Serilingampally, Kondapur, Madhapur, and Gachibowli, other parts of Hyderabad, such as LB Nagar and Medchal, saw less rain than expected.
This pattern continues in other districts. In Mahabubnagar, which typically receives 374 mm of annual rainfall, the district has already recorded 734 mm this year. Despite this, only half of its 400 tanks have collected sufficient water. Similarly, Nalgonda district, with 1,628 ponds, has over 50% of them underfilled, with only 124 ponds full and 144 overflowing.
Bhadradri Kothagudem district is facing floods, yet of its 2,140 tanks, 1,800 are full while 340 remain unfilled. According to the Meteorological Department, Telangana should have received 597 mm of rainfall between June 1 and September 4. Instead, the state has experienced 836 mm of rain—a 40% increase—though the rains have only lasted 73 days, compared to the expected 90 days.