Incessant rains, floods claim several lives in Telangana; IAF choppers join rescue operations

The bodies of 8 persons, which were washed away in the Jampanna-vagu in Mulugu district on Thursday, have been recovered, police said.

Incessant rains and ensuing floods have claimed several lives in Telangana, where scores of villages and colonies are under water. Several low lying areas in Hyderabad have also been affected by the deluge.

Rivers including Godavari and streams are overflowing even as the rains are subsiding in the state. Many areas in north Telangana have received extremely heavy rains this week and places like Mulugu have recorded over 60 cms rainfall.

The bodies of eight persons, which were washed away in the Jampanna-vagu in Mulugu district on Thursday, have been recovered, police said.

According to reports, 17 people have died in various rain related incidents in Khammam and Warangal regions, while a few persons are still missing.

Also Read | At least eight swept away in Telangana floods following heavy rains

Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters were pressed into service and carried out rescue of six persons stranded atop an earth-mover in flood-stricken Nainpaka village in Bhupalpally district.

Several villages like Marampally, Kondayi were engulfed in flash floods. The water in the Kadem project reached alarming levels and flowed over the gates, while embankments of few lakes also breached, inundating the neighboring villages. Traffic was disrupted on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway as the Munneru stream submerged the road.

Meanwhile, after reviewing a petition, the Telangana high court has on Friday directed the K Chandrasekhar Rao government to furnish a report by Monday on the number of rain-floods related deaths, people affected and moved to rescue shelters and details of aid-compensation provided.

Schools and colleges remain closed for the third day on Friday following government instructions because of the heavy rains.

In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy directed the collectors of Alluri Sitaramaraju, Eluru, Ambedkar Konaseema and East and West Godavari districts to be vigilant in view of the rising flood levels in Godavari river.

The water level at temple town Bhadrachalam is expected to rise to 53.81 feet from the present 49.60 feet. As a result, the inflow and outflow at Dowleswaram Barrage will go up to 16 lakh cusecs from the present 13 lakh cusecs, CM Reddy said.