UAE floods: How Mancherial NRI lost his life while others survived

Jeddah: An immigrant worker hailing from Mancherial district was drowned in the recent floods that ravaged Fujairaj, one of the seven emirates of the UAE, according to information reaching here. The deceased worker was identifid as Uppala Linga Reddy (35) from Jannaram mandal of Mancherial district.

Reports said Linga Reddy and 20 other workers were on a night shift at their work site, which is far away from their accommodation. They had reached the work site as per instructions, and as the rain alert was sounded, the batch of workers were asked to stay put in the building so that a bus could be sent to ferry them back.

“Linga Reddy and two others were in last in the row and were trying to board the bus by holding hands together”, said Anjanna, colleague of the deceased worker. While the other two boarded the bus, Linga Reddy got swept away as his grip had loosened in the swirl of flood waters, he explained.

His body was later found and now it is kept in Fujairah hospital, he added. However, the Indian consulate in Dubai has not officially confirmed the death of Linga Reddy or any other Indians in the flash floods.

It is said that seven people, all hailing from Asian countries drowned in the floods in UAE, authorities revealed. More than 800 people were rescued and thousands more placed in temporary accommodation in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah after floods, according to news reports.