Creating probably the first ever instance wherein the traffic police issued advisory to the general public cautioning them to stay home and not venture out unless there was an emergency, torrential downpour ambushed the city from all sides on Monday, bringing life to a standstill for hours together.
Roads were veritable lakes, and apartment cellars the repositories of water for a long time after the rain which lasted incessantly for hours from 4 p.m. stretching beyond 6 p.m.
GHMC emergency call centre received distress calls from areas such as Mallapur, Yakutpura, Nacharam, Secunderabad Monda Market, Vijayanagar Colony, Lingojiguda, Uppuguda and others, where whole areas were flooded and people were stranded due to entry of water into their homes. GHMC South Zone officials reportedly shifted people out of their homes to safer shelters.
Waterlogging was reported at many localities including Ranigunj, Darussalam, Malakpet, Karbala Maidan Junction, Basheerbagh, Telugu Talli Statue, Himayatnagar, Malakpet, Somajiguda, Begumpet, Jubilee Hills, Putlibowli, Punjagutta junction, Charminar, and Gulzar Houz.
At many places vehicle engines came to an abrupt halt in the middle of water, stranding the fear-stricken commuters. Traffic was even diverted at places such as Begum Bazar due to heavy flooding.
As per GHMC data, by 9 p.m., Miralam recorded the highest rainfall at 13 centimetres, followed by Rajendranagar and Amberpet at 12 centimetres, and Golconda at 10 centimetres. Other locations hit badly by rain included Golconda, Musheerabad, Narayanguda, Monda Market, Asifnagar, Saroornagar, Asmangadh, Bandlaguda, L.B.Nagar.
Flood water found way into two substations in Katedan area of Rajendranagar, forcing the officials to shut down the supply and make emergency calls for rescue. Fire fighting teams were pressed into service to de-water the substations and restore supply, sources from GHMC informed. Khairatabad MMTS railway station was one more location which experienced heavy flooding, forcing passengers to wade through water to reach the platform.
While it was a nightmarish experience for those commuting, those indoors too had their share of misery. Houses and apartment complexes were flooded in quite a few areas such as Vidyanagar, Safilguda, and Rajendranagar.
The residents in high-rise residential complexes in Manikonda, Gachibowli, Madhapur, and Hi-Tech city areas had their corridors flooded with the heavy downpour and in many apartments lifts were stopped as water entered the lift shafts.
In Lanco Hills, the luxury housing complex, operation of all the four elevators was stopped as water entered inside the lift shaft.
“ I live on the 29th floor and had to climb all the way up. I took my own time, stopping every few stairs to catch my breath ”, said a resident. Fire engines were sent there too.
GHMC Commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy said that there were no instances of colonies being flooded and people stranded inside their houses.
However, food packets will be kept ready in case there were any distress calls, he said.
