Hyderabad: Over 1,000 evacuated, city life paralysed by downpour

Hyderabad: Over 1,000 people were evacuated from 14 colonies falling under the Malkajgiri and East Anandbagh localities due to conditions of deluge, following the collapse of a retaining wall of a nala. Elsewhere, sewage water mixed with rain gushed on to the streets of Alwal.

For the first time since 2017, National Disaster Recovery Force (NRDF) teams deployed four boats to evacuate people stuck in inundated ho-mes from NMDC Colony, Shridibagar, Dodla Basti and other areas.

Residents were brought to dry areas and provided assistance. As many as 170 people approached the government medical unit, citing viral infection, fever and other medical conditions. Biscuits, milk and water were provided through the relief teams.

People were found stranded on terraces of their buildings, with none venturing out to work. Schools suspended all classes and declared a holiday. In an entire cluster of colonies, life came to a complete standstill.

According to Mr V. Ramesh, an RTI activist, a resident of the NMDC Colony, only a quarter of the nala was clear of encroachment. “The rest of the nala has been encroached, which led to this disaster,” he said.

In Alwal, water level rose to four feet in some areas. People began noticing the alarming rise of water during mid-dawn on Friday. The water was seen gushing into colonies and engulfing streets.

“The nala along the Kotha Cheruvu went over the limit. Water began overflowing and entered the streets at around midnight. We spent the entire night in fear. After dawn, we realised that hundreds of houses had been partly submerged,” said M Prasanna Kumar, a resident of Krushi Apartment, Old Alwal.

Another resident, K Srinivas Verma, said, “Had the nala not been choked, water would have flowed away. But since it was clogged, there was a lot of water that ended up on the streets at Alwal, near Lothkunta.”

Disaster management teams seen struggling, even as they tried to push the water into drains, which were clogged up with plastic bags and cups. The workers managed to collect an entire gunny sack full of plastic waste.

A little further away from the clogged streets of these two areas, the Devnar School for Blind declared its Dasara holidays a bit prematurely.

This comes after the school was clogged with water, forcing the school administration to shift children upstairs.

Further away in Salarjung Colony in Tolichowki, a 45-year-old neem tree collapsed onto a Ford Ecosport car, causing great damage to it.

Many trees were found uprooted, several having collapsed on parked cars.

Niaz Khan, a car owner, said, “The front bonnet of the car was completely squashed due to the tree. I am yet to give it in for repairs, which will cost heavily.”