Nearly 650 devotees trapped in floods at the Gubbala Mangamma temple in Buttayagudem village in West Godavari district were rescued by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 10th Battalion, the AP State Disaster Response and Fire Services, the ITDA and the police on Monday.
The devotees visited the temple on Sunday and got trapped due to flash floods in the Kondavagu and other rivulets which were in spate due to continuous downpour in the hilly areas.
As the water did not recede till late in the night, the pilgrims stayed put at the temple. Officials could not take up any rescue operations immediately due to the heavy rain.
On Monday, they reached the temple by boats and rescued all the devotees.
Policemen strapped
West Godavari SP M. Ravi Prakash said four police personnel, who were deployed at the temple, were also trapped in the floods.
“We provided drinking water, food and milk to the devotees and rescued them with the help of boats and ropes,” the SP said.
“Most of the devotees are from Doramamidi, Gummuluru, Lankapalli, Veerammapalem, Jangareddygudem, Buttayagudem, Upparilli, Dandipudi, Marlagudem, Ganapavaram and other hamlets,” Mr. Ravi Prakash said.
NDRF Commandant Zahid Khan said 75 children, 210 women and a few senior citizens were among the flood victims. “The operation was completed by afternoon,” Mr. Khan said.
Hamlets flooded
The police and the the revenue officials rescued 600 villagers, trapped in flood waters, in Velerupadu mandal in the district on Sunday.
“With many streams and the Vinayakapuram dam in Telangana overflowing in the mandal, water entered four hamlets and the villagers climbed up the hills. Rehabilitation steps have been taken,” he told The Hindu .
He visited the damaged bridges at Koyyalagudem and Tadavai village in Jangareddygudem mandal and Errakaluva which was in spate, and directed the police to divert traffic.
