Hyderabad left gasping after heavy rains

The rain fury began on Saturday evening, and continued unabated for six to seven hours during the night, clocking close to 20 cm of rainfall at a few locations.

Residents of colonies in Hafiz Baba Nagar and surrounding localities had to be evacuated at 3 a.m. on Sunday, as a breach in Gurram Cheruvu lake inundated the locality.

Another bout of very heavy rain after a gap of three days has left the city gasping, breaching lakes and nalas (drains), drowning several colonies, stranding people, cutting off road links and creating mayhem.

The rain fury began on the evening of October 17, and continued unabated for six to seven hours during the night, clocking close to 20 cm of rainfall at a few locations.

Residents of colonies in Hafiz Baba Nagar and surrounding localities had to be evacuated at 3 a.m. on Sunday, as a breach in Gurram Cheruvu lake inundated the locality. Eye witnesses informed that water came up to a height of five feet and that there might be casualties.

A flooded street in Hafiz Baba Nagar, hyderabad on October 18, 2020.

The district administration, Police and Irrigation officials GHMC Commissioner D.S. Lokesh Kumar, and Water Board MD M. Dana Kishore, arrived at the location to monitor relief measures.

With Himayatsagar exceeding full tank level, the HMWS&SB officials opened the flood gates and released water into river Musi, which was in spate, drowning the causeways at Chaderghat and Musarambagh yet again.

Waist deep water beneath Malakpet RUB hampered traffic and areas on the eastern side were cut off from the rest of the city. Traffic came to a stand still on the Vijayawada highway for a five-km stretch, starting from Abdullahpurmet.

The main road from Karmanghat up to Saroornagar was flooded with storm water arriving from Meerpet and Jillelaguda, posing grave danger to commuters.

Several colonies in areas such as Nacharam, Mansurabad, Nagole, Karmanghat and other locations were inundated owing the flooding of nearby lakes.

Water in Hussainsagar too exceeded full tank level, and was flowing through surplus nala towards Musi River.

Singapore Township area near Ghatkesar received the maximum rainfall at 19.7 cm, followed by Peerzadiguda at 18 cm. Rocktown Colony in Nagole, Bhavaninagar, L.B.Nagar received over 17 cm, while localities such as Alkapuri, Habsiguda, IS Sadan, Ramantapur, Thattiannaram, Bandlaguda, Asmangadh, Shantinagar, Uppal, Rein Bazar, Lingojiguda, Shaikpet and other areas received very heavy rainfall — upward of 15 cm.