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Ten State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and a local fisherman stranded in the swollen Betupally lake in Telangana’s Khammam district have been rescued, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy said on Thursday, November 5.
The personnel had gone missing after two rescue boats capsized during an operation to rescue fishermen stranded in the floodwaters on Wednesday night.
According to the minister, rescue teams worked through the night to trace the missing fishermen and SDRF personnel. He congratulated the rescue teams, officials and local public representatives for coordinating the operation and saving their lives.
However, one SDRF personnel was yet to be brought ashore. The minister said his whereabouts had been traced and that he had directed officials to ensure he was safely brought to the shore as soon as possible.
The incident occurred after a sudden surge in floodwater in Betupally lake, reportedly due to Cyclone Murasu. Five fishermen who had gone to retrieve their fishing nets on Wednesday evening were stranded as the water level rose rapidly. Three other fishermen who went to help them also got trapped.
Following an alert from local residents, SDRF personnel launched a rescue operation in two boats at around 6.30 pm. They managed to rescue three fishermen before both boats capsized amid strong winds and powerful currents.
The boats were carrying nine personnel, including six members of the Telangana State Special Police and three Fire Services personnel. Local police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams subsequently joined the search and rescue operation.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had directed the district administration to take all necessary measures to ensure the safe return of the personnel. Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar also spoke to senior NDRF officials and urged them to expedite the rescue efforts.
