AGONISING WAIT: Laxmi, the mother of five-year-old Shyamleela who was washed away, with her four other daughters as the search for the girl's body goes on. Photo: Satish H.

HYDERABAD: Incessant rain battered the city on Saturday, claiming five lives in separate accidents, damaging over 70 buildings and submerging a dozen low-lying areas apart from throwing public life off track.

While three persons, including a 12-year-old boy, were killed in a compound wall collapse in Rajendranagar, a five-year-old girl was swept away by surging water in Laxminagar nala near Bapu Ghat. A nine-year-old boy, Arjun, was killed in another wall collapse reported from Moosarambagh. Two other children were injured.

Shyam Leela, daughter of a ragpicker Laxmi residing on an encroachment of the nala was playing along with her sister when she fell into the water. Locals and MCH divers tried in vain for over six hours to retrieve the body from a drain passing underneath the Golconda road, near the spot from where she was washed away. The teams later shifted further down towards the Musi to locate the body.

Tanks overflow

District Collector Arvind Kumar, who rushed to the spot, said Laxmi would be given a job as a contract labour and accommodated along with her children at the residential bridge course hostel in Tallagadda. Shyam Leela was the youngest of the five daughters of Laxmi, whose husband passed away three months ago.

Several areas, including Nizam Colony, Adithya Colony and Nadeem Colony in and around Langar Houz and Tolichowki bore the brunt of the nearby Shatam Cheruvu overflowing while over 100 houses were submerged partially and roads inundated in Laxminagar in Golconda, Warasiguda, Chandrababu Naidu Nagar colony in Marredpally, Ammuguda and Patelnagar in Bandlaguda.

Twenty-four families in Chandrababu Naidu Nagar colony were shifted to a community hall where food was being arranged along with other relief measures. A total of 250 families residing downstream of Gurram Cheruvu and Suraram Cheruvu near Bandlaguda were also shifted to function halls, the Collector said. Both Gurram Cheruvu and Suraram Cheruvu were at full tank level and there was an overflow of about 100 cusecs each from these tanks. Shatam Cheruvu in Shaikpet was brimming.

The Collector said the water position in Hussainsagar was under control with around 1,500 cusecs being discharged. The last 30 hours, till 1.30 p.m. on Saturday had recorded a rainfall of 88.2 mm in the district. As against the normal rainfall of 666 mm, Hyderabad had so far received 1,003 mm in the current season, he added.

Residents of Srinivas Nagar Colony in Temple Alwal said water entered around 20 houses while over 200 houses in the area were cut off.

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