3 dead as heavy rain pummels Hyderabad

A four-month-old boy and his father were among three persons killed in rain-related incidents in Hyderabad lashed by heavy rain on Monday.

While the child and his father died in a wall collapse, another man was electrocuted, the police said.

According to Sheikhpet Mandal Revenue Officer S Ramulu, the child and his father got buried under the debris of a retaining wall that collapsed on their thatched house at Naidu Nagar due to heavy rains.

"The bodies were recovered after rescue operation. The deceased Yadulu's wife and their two-year-old daughter survived in the incident," the official said.

In another incident, a 35-year-old man who had gone to have tea at a hotel in Hussainialam area, while it was raining heavily, got electrocuted after touching a road-side parked van which came in contact with an electric pole, police said.

"There was a short circuit and the van was parked near the pole. One man who was walking in the rains touched the vehicle apparently fearing that there might be open man holes on the road and got electrocuted," the police official said.

Separate cases were registered in connection with the incidents.

The downpour has thrown the life out of gear in the city.

GHMC Commissioner B Janardhan Reddy has advised people to venture out as per the rain updates on Met department website.

According to a Met official, 67.6 mm of rainfall was recorded in the city from around 4.30 pm to 8.30 pm on Monday. The rainfall was mainly due to the monsoon.

The downpour led to inundation of several low-lying areas and traffic moved at a snail's pace due to water-logging at different places in the city.

The GHMC said its personnel have been pressed into service to flush out stagnated water and to take up other relief works.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who spoke to GHMC Commissioner and the city police commissioner, urged the official machinery to be on alert throughout the night, a release from Rao's office said.

He directed the officials to take up relief works and respond to problems wherever they occurred, it said.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad Police Commissioner M Mahendar Reddy said the police force has been asked to remain alert following the heavy rains.

"In view of heavy rains, the entire force of the Hyderabad City Police including force from law and order police stations, traffic police stations, Task Force, Armed Reserve, Home Guards, Special Branch and other wings have been alerted to be in readiness," a release from the CP office said.

They have been instructed to take active part in flood-related emergencies and have been directed to monitor the situation through out the night and attend all emergencies in coordination with other government departments, it said.

Photograph: PTI Photo