Hyderabad: 17 dead; Army deployed in rain-affected areas, NDRF on standby

This is the worst rainfall in Hyderabad in 108 years. Some of the low lying areas are still cut off from the rest of the city.

Hyderabad

: With heavy rains causing havoc in the capital and other parts of Telangana, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has ordered officials to set up control rooms in all the districts to reach out to marooned people with necessary relief.

At least 17 people have died and thousands evacuated in Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Telangana by Saturday, due to the heavy rainfall causing flooding in the state.

Hyderabad has experienced the worst rainfall in 108 years, as people stuck in worst-hit areas are facing shortage of food, drinking water and other essential items.

Four columns of the Army havebeen deployed in rain-affected areas of Hyderabad and neighbouring Ranga Reddy district.

Army troops have been moved into Begumpet, Nizampet and Hakimpet areas in the city and Alwal in Ranga Reddy district to provide necessary relief, according to a Defence release.

According to an official statement issued by the CM's office at midnight, a 60-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has been kept on the standby in the city for necessary rescue operations.

-"Army personnel are also available as and when requested,-" the release said.

Some of the low lying areas in Hyderabad are still cut off from the rest of the city, even as Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and some NGOs are offering essential food items such as milk towards relief of those affected.

The CM also instructed the officials to take necessary steps to prevent spread of communicable diseases.

According to a senior official of GHMC, Army officials met GHMC Commissioner Janardhan Reddy during the wee hours on Saturday and their forces are prepared to swing into action as and when called for.

The district administration of Rangareddy, Khammam, Warangal and Medak besides GHMC have declared holiday for educational institutions on Saturday also.

On Friday, the Telangana government had said that it has kept two choppers ready to move people from low lying areas in the city, if necessary.

Besides, four persons were killed and six others injured in separate rain-related incidents in Medak district on Friday.

According to the weather report issued by the Indian Meteorological Department on Saturday, -"heavy to very heavy-" are likely to occur in isolated places in Telangana.