Heavy Downpour Disrupts Life In Hyderabad; Army Help Sought For Rescue Operations 

Hyderabad: The state government has sought help of Army for possible rescue operations as MET department forecast heavy rains for the next five days. The government has also declared a two-day holiday for all educational institutions while IT companies were urged to provide a work from home option to the employees.

Mayor B. Rammohan said the help of Army was sought for rescue work in areas like Alwal, Nizampet and Begumpet where overflowing water bodies and open drains have inundated residential areas.

“We sought the Army’s help because they have the required equipment and skill to deal with natural calamities like floods. The Army personnel will survey the inundated areas on Thursday night and Friday morning for a first-hand assessment of the situation,” said Surendra Mohan, GHMC additional commissioner, information technology.

The chief minister asked the officials to shift people residing in low-lying areas to safer zones and take help from police, NDRF and Army

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who is on a visit to Delhi, directed officials to be ready for any eventuality. He spoke to Municipal Administration and Development Minister KT Rama Rao and top officials over phone to review the situation.

The chief minister asked the officials to shift people residing in low-lying areas to safer zones and take help from police, NDRF and Army.

KTR who was monitoring situation from GHMC office informed that they had contacted Army for undertaking rescue and relief works. He said NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) were positioned to take up rescue and relief works.

Along with KTR, Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Home Minister N. Narasimha Reddy and top officials were monitoring the situation from control room at GHMC head office. KTR said that the chief minister directed ministers, MPs, MLAs and other public representatives to be available to citizens round the clock.

4,000 Vehicles Stranded On Roads

Over the last 24 hours nearly 4,000 vehicles broke down on city roads due to waterlogging and potholes and officials said that as many as 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles have been concked out with flood water entering them.

As beeline is being made by vehicle owners at service stations, insurance companies have sent out a safety advisory asking motorists to avoid driving in water logged areas.

On the other hand, in last two days traffic cops have received nearly about 4,500 calls and social media message pertaining to traffic problem. “We have been monitoring traffic movement through cameras. Breakdowns have been holding up traffic every half an hour. Our men have been constantly on the job of moving these vehicles,” said Narsing Rao, inspector in-charge of traffic complaints

4 Mandals Put On Alert

The district administration on Thursday identified key mandals likely to be severely inundated in case excess water is released from the lake as water level in the Hussain Sagar touched 513.78 metres, dangerously above the full tank level (FTL) of 513.41metres. The mandals are Khairatabad, Himayathnagar, Musheerabad and Shaikpet near the water body.

The officials identified Ashok Nagar, Domalguda, Ratna Nagar, Suraj Nagar, Subhash Chandra Bose Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Shastri Nagar and Nehru Nagar as vulnerable areas in Himayathnagar.

“We have alerted nearly 300 families living here, about the rising water level in the Hussainsagar. We have also identified community halls in Domalguda, Indira Park, Ratna Nagar, Ashok Nagar and other places, where we can shift families staying in low-lying areas in the mandal,” said Venkateswarlu, tehsildar of the mandal

Similarly, in Khairatabad mandal, places marked as prone to flooding are Begumpet, Brahmanwadi, Indira Nagar, Nehru Nagar, M S Maktha and Raj Nagar while alert has been issued for those in Arundhati nagar, Sabarmathi Nagar and Nagamaiah Kunta in Musheerabad mandal.

Traffic Comes To Grinding Halt

The incessant rains once again brought normal life to a standstill in the city. People returning home from offices were caught in traffic jams in almost all parts of Hyderabad and its twin Secunderabad.

More rains on Thursday evening added to the woes of the people already marooned in the affected areas. In Bhandari Layout of Nizampet, several apartments remained inundated for a second day.

Traffic came to a halt on major arterial roads due to overflowing storm water drains and sewerage manholes. The motorists were having a harrowing time due to bad condition of roads and ongoing work on Hyderabad Metro Project.

Hospitals Issue Health Alert

State-run hospitals in Telangana have been issued an alert by health department on Thursday asking them to remain in a state of readiness given the chances of spread of communicable diseases in the aftermath of incessant rains lashing the city.

“There are chances of communicable diseases spreading. Hence, hospitals must stock up on essential medicines immediately,” Health minister Dr C Laxma Reddy said.

Anticipating a rush of patients due to a spurt in seasonal diseases, Fever Hospital has increased the number of OP counters and extended timings from the earlier 9 am to 12 noon to 9 am to 4 pm now.

Rains Pound Guntur, Narrow Escape For 47 Passengers

Incessant rains have crippled normal life in Guntur as reportedly eight persons have been killed due to heavy rains. Many passenger trains have been cancelled on Nadikudi-Guntur section, while express trains from Secunderabad, which normally pass through Guntur, have been diverted as the rail tracks near Piduguralla were inundated.

Meanwhile, there was a narrow escape for 47 passengers of an APSRTC when the vehicle got trapped in the swirling waters at Utukuru village in Krosur mandal. They were rescued by locals and police.

District Collector Kantilal Dande was making efforts to arrange a helicopter for rescue operation, official sources said.