All 11 people — including personnel from the Telangana State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Fire Services Department, and a local resident — who were swept away after their boats capsized in the floodwaters of Bethupalli Lake in Khammam district, Telangana, were rescued by Thursday morning, officials confirmed. The incident unfolded on Wednesday, 5 November 2025, when a chain of events turned a routine rescue operation into a multi-agency emergency.

How the Crisis Unfolded

The sequence began on Wednesday afternoon when five fishermen ventured into the overflowing Bethupalli tank to lay fishing nets, despite water flowing over the structure's surplus weir following heavy rainfall in the district. A sudden rise in water levels left the five stranded at the centre of the tank, with strong currents blocking their return to shore.

The fishermen contacted members of their local cooperative society gathered on the tank bund, requesting immediate help. One person entered the water on a makeshift raft in an attempt to assist them, while two other fishermen from a nearby area also became caught in the currents — bringing the total number stranded to eight.

First Rescue Attempt and the Second Emergency

A Fire Services Department team reached the spot with a boat and successfully brought three of the eight people to safety. However, five fishermen remained trapped in the middle of the water body, prompting authorities to launch a second, larger operation.

A rescue team of 11 — comprising six police personnel from the Kothagudem battalion, four Fire Services members, and one local resident — set out at approximately 7.30 pm using two boats. The mission took a dangerous turn when both boats capsized under the force of the floodwaters, sweeping all 11 occupants into the current and triggering a large-scale overnight search.

NDRF Steps In

Rescue efforts were then escalated, with a joint operation launched by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Fire Services teams. An NDRF unit dispatched from Vijayawada reached the site and located the original five stranded fishermen — who had managed to climb onto an earthen mound in the middle of the tank — at around 10.30 pm. All five were brought to safety by approximately 11.20 pm.

Notably, some of the 11 swept-away personnel had managed to stay together at one location and established telephone contact with authorities, allowing rescue teams to narrow the search and intensify efforts. This communication reportedly proved critical in coordinating the final phase of the operation.

All Accounted For by Morning

By Thursday morning, all 11 individuals — including the SDRF personnel, Fire Services staff, and the local resident swept away when the rescue boats capsized — had been brought to safety, officials said. The successful conclusion ends what became an hours-long, multi-agency emergency in a district already battling heavy flood conditions.

The incident underscores the risks faced by emergency responders operating in rapidly changing floodwater environments, and comes amid broader flood distress across parts of Telangana. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether any of those rescued sustained injuries.