Hyderabad: Over 2,100 families have been evacuated from near the Gurram Cheruvu (lake) near Barkas by the city administration, as the water body is likely to flood. On Sunday, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and other government departments once again began evacuation operations as scores of people were stranded in colonies at Hafeez Baba Nagar and other areas.
GHMC commissioner Lokesh Kumar on Sunday alerted officials and field staff, and also cautioned citizens that the city is likely to receive more rain in the coming week, as per weather report. The civic body has also been evacuating citizens in low lying areas as a precautionary measure.
In total, so far, 37,409 families have been affected by the floods in Hyderabad over the past week. Affected citizens are also being given rations kits from the Chief Minister Relief Fund, which includes 3 blankets and other materials work Rs.2800. As of now, 20,000 ration kits and blankets were distributed and remaining kits and blankets will be distributed by October 19, said the GHMC in a statement.
Similarly, the civic body is also distributing milk, bread and biscuits to the affected families.
It claimed that 90,000 packed meals have also been distributed to those who have suffered losses due to the floods. The engineering wing and Disaster Response Teams (DRF) teams of the GHMC are also pumping out water from apartment cellars and inundated colonies across Hyderabad.
From the DRF and engineering departments, a total of 242 are currently on the ground engaged in de-watering activities. In order to contain water-borne and vector-borne diseases, the entomology and DRF are also spraying bleaching powder and Sodium
Hypochlorite chemicals in cellars and inundation areas.
In the interest of the public health, the GHMC Commissioner has appealed to citizens
to drink boiled water only, so that water-borne diseases and other infections can be controlled.