In the rain-lashed Nirmal district of Telangana, the heavy downpour that began on Wednesday, July 21 continued through Thursday. By then, to the distress of many families living in low-lying areas like Nirmal town and parts of Bhainsa, water started to enter their homes and they were slowly inundated. While an NDRF team was expected to arrive in the evening, in the meantime, rescue teams along with police personnel, expert swimmers and local fishermen managed to rescue people from the inundated colonies. Scores of people were seen wading through knee-deep water holding on to their belongings as they were moved to rehabilitation centres, while in some cases, like the GNR colony of Siddapur village, fishing boats had to be used to rescue stranded people.
With the gates of the Swarna irrigation project and the Sriram Sagar project being lifted, streams and water bodies in the district had been overflowing heavily, said Nirmal MLA Allola Indrakaran Reddy, also the Minister for Forests, Law and Endowments, who oversaw the assistance measures and rescue operations on July 23. Until Thursday morning, record rainfall of nearly 25 cm had been reported in many parts of Nirmal district. With water entering homes in Siddapur village, as of Thursday afternoon, nearly 300 people were rescued with the help of fishing boats, the Minister said.
Several families are being rescued by the team at GNR Colony of Nirmal.
— Collector Nirmal (@Collector_NML) July 22, 2021
We are on the field, pls stay safe pic.twitter.com/ns0jhnE0Lc
Calling the flood situation heartrending, the Minister said, “Two people on a rescue boat almost got washed away because of the heavy flow of water. They luckily caught on to a telephone wire, and another boat was sent. In spite of the dangerous flow of the stream, the fishermen have risked their lives to rescue stranded people.” The Nirmal district police also appreciated fishermen for their efforts in saving people’s lives.
The #Fishermen of Nirmal District have done a great job in rescuing the victims of the flood affected areas of Nirmal District. #NirmalPolice appreciates your efforts in saving the lives of people stranded in the floods. @TelanganaCOPs @Min_FAHD pic.twitter.com/OiFc6agpsZ
— SP NIRMAL (@sp_nirmal) July 22, 2021
In Bhainsa, police officers went around the inundated areas on a boat making announcements to the flood victims, offering help and reassuring them.
@AspBhainsa along with Inspectors Bhainsa Town and Mudhole went into the flood affected areas on boat asking the flood victims to seek help and ensuring no person is left unhelped. #NirmalPolice @TelanganaCOPs @TelanganaDGP pic.twitter.com/Jo9FchDN9N
— SP NIRMAL (@sp_nirmal) July 22, 2021
Nirmal district collector Musharraf Ali Faruqui was also present on the field, overseeing rescue operations, along with Nirmal municipal chairman Gandrath Eshwar and other local officials and public representatives.
Hon'ble Minister @IKReddyAllola & Collector @musharraf_ias is on the field to ensure everyone is rescued & in safe condition. The rescue team is on the field. Pls Stay safe, stay home@TelanganaCMO @KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/vzw2YW6G4o
— Collector Nirmal (@Collector_NML) July 22, 2021
Several families from the flood-affected areas like Autonagar in Bhainsa town and surrounding areas were moved to rehabilitation centres. Nearly 60 families who were initially unreachable by rescue teams because of the intensity of the floods were eventually rescued.
Flood affected families were rescued by the team and shifted to rehabilitation center in Bhainsa Town. pic.twitter.com/hsuyHqDpO2
— Collector Nirmal (@Collector_NML) July 22, 2021
In Bhainsa mandal’s Gundegaon village, 16 people who were stranded were rescued and moved to a flood rehabilitation centre.
16 people were rescued from Gundegaon Vill of Bhainsa Mandal
— Collector Nirmal (@Collector_NML) July 22, 2021
and shifted to the rehabilitation center.
We are on the task, pls stay safe.@TelanganaCMO @KTRTRS @IKReddyAllola @musharraf_ias pic.twitter.com/eNZdP0vMk4
In the GNR colony, an 11-day-old newborn and the mother were among the scores of people saved by the rescue teams. In Sarangapur mandal, a house was submerged in Vanjar village, and three residents were moved to safety by rescue teams.
As heavy rainfall occurred in the Sarangapur Mandal of Nirmal District.
— Collector Nirmal (@Collector_NML) July 22, 2021
One house was submerged & Three citizens from Vanjar (Vill) were rescued by the team.
We are on task, Please stay safe@musharraf_ias @IKReddyAllola @TelanganaCMO pic.twitter.com/BTbznlubD8
The NDRF team arrived by evening and continued the rescue operations.
The @NDRFHQ @10ndrf Teams have made great efforts in evacuating the people affected by the floods from water logged areas to the safe place. #NirmalRains #NirmalPolice @TelanganaCOPs @TelanganaDGP pic.twitter.com/lOcITcFySb
— SP NIRMAL (@sp_nirmal) July 22, 2021
By Thursday night, police declared that the rescue operations were successfully completed with no loss of life and provided with food and drinking water. More than a thousand people are estimated to have been rescued in Nirmal district through Thursday’s rescue operations.