One of Dead, Two Missing in Telangana Floods; Hundreds Evacuated.
A life is lost and two are missing in severe floods in Telangana. There was a transport fling and relief efforts in full swing as hundreds fled, in record rains.
One Dead, Two Missing in Telangana Floods; Hundreds Evacuated
Torrential rains have caused havoc in the state of Telangana and the hardest hit are the districts of Kamareddy and Medak. It is a sad turn of events in that at least one individual was killed in a caving of a wall and others are yet to be found. Hundreds are also evacuated with the floods still swelling.
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The India Meteorological Department warned of a red alert in the districts of Medak, Kamareddy, Nirmal, Nizamabad and Siddipet, orange alert in 15 other districts and a yellow alert in all other towns including Hyderabad.
Devastating Rainfall and Human Toll
Kamareddy received the highest rainfall ever recorded in its history-Argonda station of the Rajampet mandal registered a phenomenal 44 cm (440 mm) at a time, and 23 points in a total of 10 districts registered more than 20 cm.
Also read: Begumpet, Gymkhana Ground, unidentified, aged about 50, dead.
Among the people who died is one who was killed by the wall collapsing in Kamareddy. Two people, Bestha Sathyam and Yada Goud, were washed away attempting to cross a bridge being swept by a flood in the village of Rajpet over the Gandari stream, and are not seen again.
Massive Rescue and Evacuation Operations
The help groups are working day and night. The SDRF, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Army (around 100 in Medak) are operational throughout the area of the disaster. About 500 individuals were evacuated in Kamareddy and 700-plus were rescued in Medak.
Five individuals who had been stranded in a tiny island in Rajanna-Sircilla were rescued by helicopter, and helpless families in the flood-prone areas such as Nirmal, where 250 families had been moved were safe passage transported to the government shelters.
Infrastructure Damage and Disruptions
Transportation and facilities have been seriously damaged by floodwaters:
The Rameshwarpally (Bhiknoor mandal) rail lines and the Akkanpet-Ramayampet rail line have been collapsed, bringing a train service to a standstill.
National Highway 44 collapsed in several places resulting in diversion of motor vehicles.
In Medak, 47 roads, 23 causeways, and 15 bridges (unearth roads, bridges and culverts) were flooded, and 16 irrigation tanks were broken, causing additional alarm further downstream.
Ongoing Emergency Measures
The government assured food provision and basic needs of evacuees. There is increased urgency in the work of rescue teams as it is forecasted that there is more rain coming. The amount of this rain, which can be termed as the most immense in fifty years, has placed both authorities and residents on their toes.
