Warangal: Relief ops on as rains recede

Warangal: After continuous thunderstorms that threw normal life helter-skelter, there was some respite as rains receded on Monday. However, several low-lying localities remained waterlogged. Three teams of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's Disaster Response Force (DRF) and a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been working overtime carrying out relief and rescue operations.

Warangal Urban District Collector Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu and Municipal Commissioner Pamela Satpathy inspected Shiva Nagar, Mysamma Kunta, Chinthal and other areas and directed the officials to pump out the floodwater wherever it required clearing the colonies.

Mayor Gunda Prakash Rao, who reached out the Santhoshi Mata Colony residents in a boat with the DRF personnel, tried to instil confidence among the locals. He said that the civic body would take all possible measures to bring normalcy in the city. "I haven't seen such a downpour in last three decades," the Mayor said, stating that DRF teams are in action to assist the people living in low-lying areas. He told them that they have set up rehabilitation shelters to look after the rain displaced.

Kakatiya University Inspector P David Raj and Sub-Inspector Harikrishna saved a 70-year-old woman, who is residing in Dwaraka Sai Colony with the help of the NDRF team.

Minister for Tribal Welfare Satyavathi Rathod, who inspected flood-affected colonies in the city, said that the government will take care of the displaced.

"As of now, there are 4,200 people in the 13 rehabilitation centres. All those who lost their houses would be provided compensation,' Rathod assured.

Meanwhile, Yedla Venkateshwarlu (55) of Fort Warangal was killed when a portion of his house collapsed in the early hours of Monday.