Hyderabad: Telangana experienced heavy rainfall from Tuesday night, August 26, resulting in severe flooding in Kamareddy district, with reports of residents trapped in their homes and train services halted due to railway tracks being swept away.
The overflowing Kamareddy Pedda Cheruvu has flooded Housing Board Colony, submerging several homes and trapping more than 50 residents in their homes. Fifteen vehicles and twelve motorcycles were said to have been swept away by the floodwaters.
Citizens in the flood-hit regions are eagerly looking for relief efforts, with floodwaters from Pedda Cheruvu still lingering as a significant threat.
State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) officials are conducting rescue efforts at the backwaters of Kalyan Project in Annasagar village of Yellareddypet mandal in Kamareddy district.
So far, the SDRF and other state relief teams have rescued 504 people stranded in flood-like situations across Medak and Kamareddy districts, and more relief efforts are being taken up.
Washed away highways and railway lines
The National Highway connecting Kamareddy to Hyderabad has been shut down because of the intensity of the floods. The railway track in Kamareddy has also been eroded, leading to the suspension of all train services on the Kamareddy–Nizamabad sector.
In the meantime, local meteorologist T Balaji declared a flash flood alert for Kamareddy, Medak and Siddipet, stating that many of the places had more than 300 mm rainfall between midnight and 10:00 a.m. Rajampet reported 423 mm, followed by Ramayanpet (316.3 mm), Bhiknoor (299 mm), Narsingi Shivanoor (289.4 mm), Havelingapur (287 mm), Laxmapur (253.3 mm) and Kamareddy town (236 mm). He warned of another 100 mm of rain in these places.
Farmer swept away, others stuck in Rajanna Siricilla
A dairy farmer, Nagaiah, was swept away in Maneru Vagu at Gambhiraopet mandal in Rajanna Siricilla district while taking his buffaloes for grazing on Wednesday, August 27. Heavy flow of water was observed after the Narmala Project (Upper Manair Reservoir) opened downstream. Not realising the turbulent waters, Nagaiah was stuck in the stream.
Five farmers, identified as Mahesh, Swamy, Yellaiah, Narasimhulu, and Narsaiah, were trapped along the Maneru Vagu bank. Police and SDRF personnel are deployed to locate Nagaiah and rescue the trapped farmers, and are being monitored by district officials.
Stranded workers and passengers in Kamareddy, Medak
In Yellareddy mandal of Kamareddy, nine labourers were trapped in Boggugudise Vagu as Thimmapur Cheruvu overtopped, augmenting the water flow. The workers, working on a bridge, were trapped on a half-submerged tanker and could be heard screaming for help on camera. SDRF teams have been sent in for rescue.
In Medak district’s Haveli Ghanpur mandal, a four-wheeled vehicle with four occupants was swept away in Nakka Vagu when the driver had not heeded advice from local people and had tried to take a shortcut over the stream in spate. The authorities are trying to find out who the passengers were. A mandal irrigation tank also burst and added to the floodwater.
Villages and institutions inundated
People in Dhoop Singh Thanda of Medak had to jump onto building rooftops as their whole hamlet submerged. A few Lambada hamlets in Rajampet mandal of Kamareddy district also witnessed total submergence.
Ramayampet’s Government SC Women’s Degree College building was inundated. Approximately 300 students were rescued by police and relocated to safer places.
Government on high alert
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Kamareddy and Medak districts in consideration of the very heavy rains.
Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy directed collectors of the flood-affected districts to stay vigilant and see to it that rescue operations are conducted without leaving any stone unturned.
