Betupalli Lake Rescue: All Fishermen and SDRF Personnel Saved
Telangana Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy confirms no casualties after a daring rescue of fishermen and SDRF personnel at Betupalli Lake.
In a dramatic turn of events, eight fishermen and several State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel who went missing during a rescue mission at Betupalli Lake in Khammam district have been safely recovered. Telangana Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy confirmed that there were no casualties in the incident, expressing his gratitude to the rescue teams and district officials for their successful efforts.
Chaos Amidst Heavy Rainfall
The crisis began on Wednesday following intense rainfall that caused lakes and ponds across the region to overflow, leading to widespread flooding and crop damage. According to Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, a group of fishermen had entered Betupalli Lake in the Sathupalli mandal to fix their nets when a nearby irrigation tank overflowed. The resulting flash flood swept away eight fishermen, leaving them missing in the turbulent waters.
A Rescue Operation Gone Wrong
As the situation escalated, SDRF teams were deployed to save the stranded fishermen. However, the operation faced a severe setback when two rescue boats overturned, causing approximately 11 SDRF members to go missing alongside the fishermen. Despite the chaos, the personnel were equipped with safety jackets, which proved critical in their survival as they fought to rescue the fishermen while battling the current.
The Final Recovery
The tension lasted through the night until the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) stepped in. According to the Khammam Police, the NDRF teams successfully located and rescued the eight fishermen and the SDRF personnel around 5:30 am on Thursday morning. Following the rescue, the operation was officially declared complete.
High-Level Monitoring and Health Updates
The disappearance of the SDRF boats caught the attention of Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) stated that the CM personally inquired about the missing personnel and directed the District Collector to intensify all efforts to ensure their safe return. He also tasked the Chief Secretary with continuously monitoring and reviewing the situation.
Following their rescue, the survivors were taken for medical evaluation. Dr K Rajashekar Goud from the General Medicine department at Khammam Hospital confirmed that all the rescued individuals are in good health and that there was no mortality resulting from the incident.
"The fishermen had gone to fix the net in the lake when the nearby irrigation tank overflowed, leading to a flood, and 8 fishermen went missing. The SDRF teams went inside; two boats overturned... They were wearing safety jackets and safely came out after rescuing the fishermen. We thank all the rescue team members and district officials for saving their lives," said Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy.