Rains, gales wreak havoc in Cantonment

Secunderabad: Torrential rainfall with squally winds played devastation in the city on Monday night, uprooting several trees and bringing down electric poles, plunging the city into darkness, especially the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) area.

About 20 trees were uprooted in SCB: Wahab Nagar, Rail Colony, Indrapuri Railway Colony, Vasavi Nagar, Mari Ram Ready Colony, SBI Colony, Sir Sai Enclave, Tivoli Junction, PNT Colony, AOC centre, Picket area, Jaya Nagar Colony, Pawan Vihar Colony. The SCB received a rainfall of 15.3 cm. Huge tree branches in RNT Colony fell on a car, but no casualties and no damage of the properties were reported.

Immediate action was taken by the rescue teams of SCB. Around 25 workmen and one JBC were deployed to carry out the rescue services in the affected areas of SCB and the work went on till 3.30 am on Tuesday. Many low-lying areas were seen inundated with rainwater, especially West Marredpally. Power supply was deliberately cut off by the department in some areas to avert any accidents due to strong winds, said A Mahender, a sanitary inspector at Health and Sanitation Department, SCB.

The power supply was disrupted in most parts of SCB, especially Vasavi Nagar and PNT Colony. Due to the sudden fall of the tree branches on electric wires and gusty winds, electric poles got damaged, Mahender said, however, the power was restored in a couple of hours.

Mahender further said that almost all the felled trees were removed, including the tree that fell on the car, by the rescue teams. A huge tree fell at Tivoli Junction and it was removed by the team, he said. On Tuesday morning, SCB officials inspected the affected areas in the Cantonment, including the poles and electric wires, and assured to repair and to solve the issue by the evening.