Rain havoc in Telangana: Death toll rises to 8 in Medak

The death toll in rain- related incidents has gone up to eight in Telangana's Medak district with a factory worker allegedly getting drowned in flood water following heavy showers.

Three deaths were yesterday reported from Medak, even as the Army was deployed in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts for rescue operations. Besides, four persons were killed and six others injured in separate rain-related mishaps in Medak on Friday.

Anjanayelu (30), a native of Jakkapally village in Narsapur mandal of Medak, was last night going on his bike to his workplace.

However, while trying to cross a low-level causeway, near Reddy Khanapur village under Hathnoora police station limits, which was overflowing due to heavy inflow of water in Paspaleru lake, he got swept away along with his bike, police said.

Hathnoora Police Sub-Inspector Balreddy said a search operation was initiated soon after getting information but the body was yet to be retrieved.

Yesterday, a 14-year-old boy had fallen inside a swelled water tank in Aroor village under Sadasivpet police station limits after he lost balance while taking stock of the water level of the tank.

In Narayankhed, a 30-year-old man was washed away in heavy flow while he was trying to cross a stream by walk.

Besides, a 28-year-old man was killed after he lost balance of his two-wheeler and was washed away while traversing through a water body near a village in Medak.

With heavy rains throwing normal life out of gear in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had earlier ordered officials to set up control rooms in all the districts to reach out to the marooned people with necessary relief.

Following instructions from the CM, a National Response Force (NDRF) team has been kept on standby in Hyderabad to participate in rescue operations, if necessary.

Besides, four columns of Army had been earlier deployed in rain-affected areas of Hyderabad and neighbouring Ranga Reddy district.

Meanwhile, at least 23 construction labourers from Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, who were stranded on an island in swollen Manjira river for nearly 36 hours due to heavy rains, were today rescued by NDRF, officials said.

According to M Nagesh, Revenue Divisional Officer of Medak district, the workers were airlifted by the NDRF team using two helicopters this morning after they were marooned on Tekulagadda island since Friday night.

The operation, which began at 7.30 AM lasted for 40 minutes. The district administration had sought relief from NDRF yesterday but the operation had failed due to bad weather.

The workers were engaged in constructing a bridge from Yedupayala temple on the river banks to nearby Pottamshettipally village in the district.

The labourers were safely brought to Yedupayala village where Deputy Speaker of Telangana Assembly Padma Devender Reddy received them and directed their shifting to a rehabilitation camp.

Also, efforts are being made to rescue two other persons stranded near Mambojipally viilage in the district, the official added.

Heavy rains in the catchment areas of Manjira river have increased the water flow downstream. Besides, more than 1.50 lakh cusecs of water was released from Singur project near Sangareddy following continous showers in the area.