30 Rain-Related Deaths In Telangana, Including 15 In Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Thirty people have died after heavy rains wrought havoc across Telangana on Wednesday – leaving roads looking like rivers, cars completely submerged and carried along by powerful currents, and buildings almost entirely flooded.

As many as 15 deaths were reported from Hyderabad alone – among those a two-month-old baby – with water-logging in low-lying areas. Nine others died after a compound wall collapsed and fell on 10 houses during heavy overnight rain.

It began raining in the city again late Wednesday night after a brief dry spell.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, or KCR, and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, Jaganmohan Reddy, whose state was similarly affected yesterday, assuring them of all possible support from the central government.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he is “closely monitoring the situation in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (and that the) Modi government is committed to providing all possible assistance to the people of both the states in this hour of need”. “My thoughts and prayers are with those affected,” he said.

In horrifying visuals from Hyderabad’s Barkas neighbourhood, a man was seen being swept away by the floods. Two people, who managed to find shelter on a nearby elevated path, could be seen watching helplessly as the man was dragged away by the current.

According to news agency PTI, the man was later safely rescued with help from police and locals.

Most frightening video of a man being washed away in the force of the flood waters at #Barkas near #Falaknuma; not very sure if he could be rescued; unimaginable that regular roads can look like fast-flowing streams #HyderabadRains; video shared by Ruby channel @ndtv @ndtvindia pic.twitter.com/iS1LvvZ6ki

— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) October 14, 2020