NDRF Rescues 10 SDRF Personnel After Vessels Overturn in Swollen Bethupalli Lake
In a high-stakes emergency operation in Telangana's Khammam district, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) successfully rescued all 10 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel who went missing after two rescue boats capsized in the heavily swollen Bethupalli Lake on Wednesday evening. The personnel had been deployed to Sathupalli mandal to evacuate a group of local fishermen trapped by surging water levels triggered by relentless downpours linked to Cyclone Murasu. As torrential inflows caused the reservoir to overflow rapidly, powerful water currents overturned both motorized rescue vessels, throwing the rescue team into the swirling waters and prompting an immediate, multi-agency search operation across the submerged terrain bordering Andhra Pradesh.
Cyclone Murasu Inflows Trigger Capsize: Personnel Cling to Trees in Pitch Darkness
The crisis unfolded during peak rescue maneuvers when turbulent waves and sudden surges overwhelmed the two SDRF boats, causing them to overturn in deep waters and cutting off communication with shore teams. Despite the terrifying deluge and limited visibility, the 10 personnel demonstrated exceptional survival skills by fighting the currents and holding on to the branches of partially submerged trees along the lake’s shoreline throughout the night. Upon receiving urgent distress alerts, Khammam District Collector Diwakar T.S. and senior administrative officials rushed to the location to coordinate ground operations, immediately deploying specialized search units and requesting central emergency reinforcements to locate the personnel stranded in the flooded lake basin.
Overnight Joint Operation: CM Revanth Reddy and Union MoS Coordinate Swift Relief
The rescue mission achieved a definitive breakthrough during a grueling overnight operation conducted by specialized NDRF search-and-rescue teams, who navigated treacherous currents to locate the personnel and bring all 10 safely to shore by Thursday morning. Following the safe extraction, District Collector Diwakar T.S. confirmed to PTI that every team member had been accounted for without critical injuries, earning widespread praise from Telangana Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy for the seamless coordination between state and central disaster units. The high-risk situation was actively tracked at the highest administrative levels after Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy reviewed emergency protocols, directing Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju and district authorities to mobilize every available resource, while Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Sanjay Kumar confirmed the strategic deployment of NDRF battalions that brought the tense operation to a successful conclusion.
