Date:10/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/10/stories/2008081057180100.htm

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Rain wreaks havoc in Hyderabad city

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: It never rains but pours. Hyderabad lived up to this adage once again. The incessant rain lashing the city since Friday evening left a trail of death and destruction. The heavy downpour claimed 11 lives, including two in Ranga Reddy district, and left six injured. Most of the casualties was a result of soaked up walls collapsing.

The government announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 1 lakh to the next of kin of deceased. Hyderabad Collector Navin Mittal ordered officers involved in relief and rehabilitation work to report for duties on Saturday and Sunday.

Reminiscent of the August 2000 floods, the rain exposed the under-preparedness of the district administration yet again. The civic apparatus collapsed like nine pins as there was no let-up in the rain. The condition of those living in low-lying areas was simply heart rending. As in the past, boats from Tourism department had to be pressed into service to evacuate people from Nadeem Colony in Toli Chowki. Several areas in the old city were badly affected as the rain water flooded homes. NTR Nagar and Hasan Nagar near the Sardar Vallabhai Patel National Police Academy and Talabkatta bore the brunt of the downpour.

As many as 792 houses were inundated in M.S. Maktha, BJR Nagar, Punjagutta, Dhobighat in Khairatabad mandal, Shivajinagar in Bandlaguda mandal, Bathkammakunta, Annangar in Tirumalgiri mandal and Nadeem colony. Initial reports put the number of houses fully damaged at six and partly damaged 19.

Residents in many places had to fend for themselves as the emergency squads of GHMC failed to turn up.

“We kept throwing out water with buckets throughout the night and could not sleep,” complained Mohd Yakoob of NTR Nagar echoing the trauma of several families.