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armyIANS

At least 17 people have died and thousands evacuated in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as rain continues to batter the states facing one of the worst floods.

Indian Army was also deployed in Hyderabad on Saturday to carry out rescue and relief operations. As many as eight units were deployed in the area under Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

Two Indian Army helicopters have also been kept on standby for rescue purpose. Malkajgiri, Alwal and Nizampet continued to be in knee-deep water on Saturday despite the rain letting up slightly.

People stranded in the most water-logged areas have food and drinking water shortage. They also lack essential items. The rains are reminiscent of the Chennai floods last year that had the city reeling for weeks.

Nizampet, one of the worst-hit, remained flooded for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday. Almost 200 apartments in Bhandari Layout were in dire condition.

Telangana continued to be on high alert after the Meteorological Department predicted more rains in the coming days. Control rooms have been set up by the Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

The Telangana government has kept a 60-member NDRF team on the standby in the city. Schools and colleges remained closed on Saturday as well in Ranga Reddy, Khammam, Warangal and Medak districts.