Heavy rainfall in Telangana claims 8 lives

Hyderabad, Sep 8:  Heavy rainfall in parts of Telangana over the last two days claimed eight lives, paralysing normal life, disrupting road transport and causing widespread damage to crops.

The rains triggered by a low pressure in Bay of Bengal caused a flood-like situation in north Telangana. With rivulets, lakes, tanks and other water bodies overflowing, residential areas in dozens of towns were inundated.

With water flowing over highways, road connectivity was snapped in several areas. Roads connecting Hyderabad to various districts in north Telangana were submerged. Karimnagar-Jagtiyal, Sircilla- Karimnagar, Nizamabad-Bodhan highways were under water.

Rajanna Sircilla district was worst affected by the rain fury. Many parts of Sircilla town were flooded. Disaster Response Force (DRF) teams of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) rushed to the town with boats and other equipment for rescue and relief operations.

Rajanna Sircilla district administration shifted 216 families from the flood-hit areas to relief camps.

In Karimnagar town at least 15 colonies were flooded. There were reports of damage to old houses and electricity poles.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over Telangana for the next two days.

At least eight people have been killed in separate rain-related incidents since Tuesday. A man and his son were washed away in flood waters in Jagtiyal district. K. Gangamallu (47) and his son Vishnuvardhan (7), riding a motorbike, washed away after they were stuck in swirling water flowing over a highway.

A 55-year-old man died after he fell into an open manhole in Sircilla town. Rescue workers pulled out the body.

A man died in a house collapse and another was injured in Kamareddy district. In the same district, a woman was washed away in the flood water while a farmer was electrocuted in his field.

A 45-year-old man was washed away while trying to cross an overflowing stream in Siddipet district.

Several districts including Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Asifabad, Nirmal, Adilabad, Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Khammam have been put on red alert for the next two days.