Army’s Flood Relief Teams on Standby in Hyderabad & Secunderabad

Additional teams, besides those on standby, will be sent depending on the situation.

Hyderabad: GHMC personnel carry an infant during an operation to move flood-affected people to a safer place, at Hafiz Baba Nagar in Hyderabad, Sunday, 18 October, 2020.

(Photo: PTI)

Indian Army’s flood relief teams have been placed on standby in Hyderabad and Secunderabad for anticipated rescue operations of those affected due to heavy rain forecast for the coming days, reported ANI.

According to ANI, nine flood relief teams with boats have been placed on standby, and additional teams can be sent depending on the situation.

Six flood relief teams with boats and medical facilities were already deployed at Gulbarga and Yadgir districts of Karnataka from 17 October and have already evacuated 427 people to safe locations.

Relief efforts are reportedly being continued because the rise in water levels of Bhima and Krishna rivers makes it necessary.

The death toll in heavy rains and flash floods in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana has risen at least to 70, while bodies of two more missing persons were found in the state capital on Monday.

Police said two bodies were found in A-Jubail colony in the worst-hit old city of Hyderabad as the flood waters receded after five days.

Both are suspected to have been washed away in flood waters at Mailardevpally following heavy rains on 13 October.

Several colonies in Chandrayangutta, which were flooded after a lake breached on Saturday night, remained under water on Monday. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Disaster Response Force (DRF) of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) continued rescue and relief operations in Hafiz Baba Nagar and surrounding areas, where the floods left a trail of destruction.

Commuters walk on a waterlogged street near the historic Charminar during rainfall, in Hyderabad, Monday, 19 October, 2020.(Photo: PTI)

Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao told reporters that with the Meteorological Department predicting more heavy rains for the next three days, the administration was on alert.

The state government has alerted the Army while helicopters are also being kept ready for rescue and relief works.

As the GHMC has only 18 boats for evacuation, the state government is making arrangements for another 30 boats from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

As many as 80 special officers have been deployed in GHMC and neighbouring municipalities for taking up rescue and relief measures. KTR, as the minister is popularly known, appealed to all residents in low lying areas to shift to relief camps.

GHMC personnel carry out a rescue operation to move flood-affected people to a safer place following heavy rains, at Hafiz Baba Nagar in Hyderabad.(Image: PTI)  

“Don’t put your lives into risk by moving to first or second floors. Cooperate with the authorities and move out of the inundated or low-lying areas.”

KT Rama Rao, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister

The authorities have so far evacuated 37,000 people from inundated and low-lying areas. KTR said Hyderabad has recorded 120 cm rainfall this year so far against the regular average annual rainfall of 78 cm. Pointing out that the highest rainfall of 142 cm in a year was recorded in 1916, the minister said since two more months are left, this year the average rainfall may be the highest in the city's history.

Irrigation department officials reinstate the breached embankment of the Balapur Talab, anticipating heavy rains as predicted by the IMD, in Hyderabad, Monday, Oct 19, 2020.(Image: PTI)  

The government has so far spent Rs 60 crore on rescue and relief measures in flood-hit areas. This includes Rs 45 crore spent by GHMC on food supply, relief camps and ex gratia payments.

There are proposals to spend another Rs 670 crore for repairing damaged roads, storm water drains, tanks, lake strengthening and restoration of other infrastructure. The state government last week said the state suffered a loss of Rs 5,000 crore due to rains and floods and sought Rs 1,350 crore as immediate assistance. The minister said the Centre had not yet responded to the state's request.

Rs 10,000 For Each Affected Household

Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday, 20 October, announced Rs 10,000 as immediate assistance to each household affected by the floods in and around Hyderabad.

He also announced that all the houses which were totally damaged in the rains and floods would be given an assistance of Rs 1 lakh each, and those partially damaged would be given Rs 50,000 each.

To help the poor, the government is releasing Rs 550 crore immediately to the Municipal Administration Department, the CM said. Following the Chief Minister's directive, the Finance Department released Rs 550 crore to the Municipal Administration Department.

A man looks on at the damaged portion of the retaining walls of Balapur lake, which collapsed last night following heavy rainfall, in Hyderabad, Sunday, Oct. 18(Image: PTI)  

The chief minister had last week announced Rs 5 lakh compensation each to the families of the deceased.

Tamil Nadu, Delhi Lend a Helping Hand

Coming to the rescue of the battered state, Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced Rs 10 crore aid to Telangana for relief works in flood-affected Hyderabad and other districts.

GHMC personnel carry an infant during an operation to move flood-affected people to a safer place, at Hafiz Baba Nagar in Hyderabad on Sunday.(Photo: PTI)

Chief Minister EK Palaniswami conveyed in a letter to his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao that he has ordered immediate contribution of Rs 10 crore from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund as a token of support.

The Tamil Nadu government will also send blankets and mats as relief materials to the affected families.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, too, announced that his government will donate Rs 15 crore towards relief efforts in ravaged parts of Telangana.

(With inputs from IANS.)