GHMC distributes over 20,000 Chief Minister Relief Ration kits to people in flood affected areas

At least eight persons, including three in the city, were killed in rain-related deaths in the State since Saturday evening when heavy rains lashed several parts of the State after a brief respite.

The tragic incidents come even as Telangana braces for another round of heavy to very heavy rains and thunderstorm forecast for several parts of the State in the next four days. A lightning strike claimed the life of a farmer, Yadanala Srinivas (34), at Kambhalapally village in Mahabubabad district. Srinivas was working at his field when the lightning struck him. He is survived by wife and two children.

The State was battered by torrential rains last week resulting in the death of 50 persons, standing crops damaged in thousands of acres, hundreds of house collapses and infrastructure taking a beating. The weatherman has warned of disruption of traffic, heavy water-logging and inundation of crops and low-lying areas.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad is bracing for more rains in the next couple of days even as the city struggled to recover from Saturday night’s onslaught.

The Met Department’s forecast for Monday and Tuesday looks at heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places and the department issued Orange warning for the State, including the city. Met department officials said a cyclonic circulation lies over east central Bay of Bengal and under its influence, a low pressure areas is very likely to develop over the same region during next 24 hours. Just when things were appearing to settle down in the city, Saturday night rain left the city battered and bruised again. Such was the impact of the rains that Gurram Cheruvu bund was breached and Patel Kunta lake was overflowing in



Amdapur.

Given the possibilities of flooding from Gurram Cheruvu, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) shifted 2,100 families to safe places amidst heavy rains.

As many as 37,409 families were affected due to the rains that have been lashing the city since last Tuesday. Extending much needed support and help, the municipal corporation distributed over 20,000 Chief Minister Relief Ration kits to the needy, besides supplying milk, bread and other commodities. This apart, 90,000 packed meals were distributed during lunch and 60,000 packed meals for dinner to the residents in the rain affected areas.

Using boats, the GHMC’s DRF teams shifted residents stuck in rain water at P&T colony, Hafeezbaba Nagar and other areas to relief camps.

With Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao directing the municipal corporation to expedite the restoration works, over 72 DRF teams equipped with 106 water pumps hit the flooded areas and 170 monsoon teams from the engineering wing with 202 water pumps are engaged in dewatering exercises. The removal of accumulated silt and trash was also being taken up on large scale by deploying additional men and machinery.

Similarly, extensive sanitation was being taken up by the entomology wing, besides spraying disinfectants, releasing oil balls and Gambusia fish as part of anti-larval operations. Following the Minister’s instructions, Water Board too intensified the restoration works of damaged sewer and water lines. In 24 hours, the Board collected over 10,400 water samples – four times higher than the collections in regular days – and conducted water quality tests.