News courtesy-Times of India

HYDERABAD: Rare paintings belonging to the 18th century, Persian and Arabic manuscripts, coins, weapons and pottery in Kurnool and Alampur museums suffered damage in the recent floods.

Talking to TOI, director of archaeology and museums P Chenna Reddy said that the department had sent a two-member team on Monday to examine the damage to the museums. Deputy director (Museum) K S B Kesava, who inspected the museums, said that the officials had managed to salvage the manuscripts from Kurnool museum and brought them to Hyderabad for chemical treatment and restoration works.

The only silver lining was that the artifacts were intact as they were kept in the showcases and escaped flood fury. There are about 1000 artifacts belonging to the stone age in the Kurnool museum. The coins are of Satavahana, Ikshavaka and Moghul period. There are also sculptures which belong to the Chalukyan period.

In Alampur, the authorities are yet to assess the actual damage as the premises is still under one feet slush. The officials hope that this museum may not have suffered much damage as it mostly has sculptures belonging to sixth-seventh century and stone age.
Keshava said at the most the sculptures may be full of slush which can be washed. The only visible damage to the Alampur museum is the collapse of the compound wall, he said. However, both the museums have suffered damage to infrastructure including computers, furniture and publications. The department would submit a detailed report to the government soon on the loss, he added.