National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, with the help of two helicopters, rescued 28 people stranded in floods in Telangana's Bhadradri Kothagudem district on Thursday, July 18.  

The people were trapped in a temple in Narayanapuram village after the discharge of flood water from the Peddavagu Medium Irrigation project in the Godavari basin following heavy rains. As the water level was rising, they had climbed the trees and were waiting for help to arrive.

After receiving the distress call, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao contacted the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), seeking help. A NDRF team with helicopters from Eluru in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh rushed to the village and rescued the stranded people.

Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari also reviewed the situation from Hyderabad. She asked officials to be on alert in view of the widespread rains. She held a teleconference with Bhadradri Kothagudem district Collector, SP and senior officials of the Irrigation Department. She also reviewed rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected villages and asked officials to make sure that there was no loss of life due to floods.

Officials said three gates of Peddavagu were opened and as a result, water entered four villages. Some villagers were trapped in flooded agriculture fields. They were shifted to safe places.

District Collector Jitesh informed the Chief Secretary that efforts were on to shift another 20 people to safe places. Teams of NDRF, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were participating in rescue and relief operations. The Collector said people from four affected villages were being shifted to relief camps.

The Chief Secretary said the government was ready to send the required assistance for rescue and relief works from Hyderabad. Irrigation Secretary Rahul Bojja said due to huge inflows of 40,000 cusecs, the gates of Pedda Vagu had to be opened. He said the inflows have now receded.