Sudden rains lash Hyderabad, halt heat wave

Showers see temperatures dip by a degree; strong winds uproot trees, hoardings; power disruptions reported

A pillion-rider covers his head with a bucket as rain lashed Hyderabad on Wednesday after a long and forgettable spell of summer. -Photo: Mohammed Yousuf

Strong winds and rain lashed the capital on Wednesday evening, signalling the end of horrid summer and bringing much-needed respite for denizens from the scorching heat. The city recorded 4.8 mm rainfall till 5.30 p.m. in the evening and there were reports of hailstorm in a few areas.

But strong winds that blew across the city led to the collapse of a few hoardings and display boards. It also uprooted trees and broke branches, disrupting traffic in many areas.

Two huge advertisement hoardings collapsed in the Nizam College grounds. Authorities said no one was injured in the incident.

Winds uprooted trees in areas like Domalguda, Liberty, Basheerbagh, Nampally railway station, Gunfoundry. There were complaints of tree branches falling on the road and other properties at Narayanguda, Abids, Chaderghat, Noorkhan Bazar and other areas.

A branch of a huge peepal tree fell on the adjacent house, at Osmanpura, near Noorkhan Bazar, damaging the tin-sheet roof partially. Authorities claimed no one was injured in the incident and restoration works were taken up immediately. At Liberty, a huge tree got uprooted and fell on a motorcycle, damaging it. In another location nearby, an autorickshaw was damaged.

Several distress calls

The GHMC Central Emergency authorities said they received as many as 40 distress calls of trees getting uprooted or branches breaking off and falling on road.

Dip in temperature

Power supply too was disrupted in areas such as Domalguda, Barafbagh, Himayathnagar and other areas due to rain and winds.

Meanwhile, Met Department authorities said there was a drop in the maximum temperature on Wednesday and that the heat wave impact had abated.

The city recorded a maximum temperature of 39º Celsius and a minimum temperature of 26º Celsius on Wednesday as against corresponding temperatures of 40º Celsius and 27º Celsius on Tuesday.

GHMC Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu said action would be initiated against Prakash Ad Agency and a criminal case booked against the engineer who had issued structural stability certificate to the hoarding at Nizam College.