Cloudburst Kills 4 in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Three persons were washed away and reported missing in separate incidents a cloudburst wreaked havoc in several areas of the city on Sunday night. Authorities said they had launched a search for two persons, identified only as Ramu and Arjun, who were reportedly swept away in the Mangarubasti nala in Afzalsagar, Asifnagar.

Near Musheerabad, which witnessed over 12 cm of rainfall, a person identified as Dinesh went missing in the nala at Vinobhanagar Colony in Parsigutta of Secunderabad.

In Gachibowli, a 24-year-old worker died and four others were injured when a 10.5-feet-tall wall collapsed at an under-construction site in Vattinagulapally. It was suspected that the heavy rain that hit the area contributed to the conditions that resulted in the wall collapse.

As crowds gathered, the police, Disaster Response Force (DRF) and HYDRAA teams launched search operations, which continued late into the night. Officials said heavy inflow into the nala following the sudden downpour made rescue efforts challenging, and more personnel were being deployed to assist in the operation.

Earlier, Musheerabad and the Osmania University campus recorded cloudbursts on Sunday evening, as heavy rain paralysed traffic, flooded low-lying colonies and resulted in power outages in several areas. The downpour, which coincided with the holiday evening, left commuters stranded and forced thousands to wade through waterlogged streets.

The IMD says that if 10 cm rainfall is received at a station in one hour, the event is termed a cloud burst. The localised area-wise data for rainfall is provided by the Telangana Planning Development Society (TGPDS). Overall, Hyderabad averaged 33.9 mm rainfall by 9 pm.

In Musheerabad in the city, Boudanagar recorded at 121 mm rainfall and Jawaharnagar 112.8 mm. The Osmania University station recorded 101.8 mm rainfall. According to the TGDPS, Thatinanram in Abdullapurmet mandal, Rangareddy district, topped the state with 127.5 mm rain.

Roads in Secunderabad as well as in Jubilee Hills, Tolichowki, Malakpet, Azamabad, Tarnaka, Lakdikapul, Ameerpet and Kacheguda turned into streams within minutes. Traffic police diverted vehicles from Rethibowli towards Shaikpet nala and from Nanalnagar to Langar Houz, but gridlocks persisted well into the night. Two-wheelers stalled in waist-deep water at Musheerabad and Chikkadpally, while riders sought shelter under flyovers to escape the sheets of rain.

Residents in Tolichowki, Bandlaguda, Uppal and Mehdipatnam reported rainwater entering homes, while shopkeepers in Malakpet said stocks were soaked within minutes.

Emergency response teams were pressed into service as the city reeled under the deluge. Personnel from the Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda police commissionerates manned major junctions to regulate traffic. HYDRAA, GHMC and SDRF units worked through the evening, clearing drains, pumping stagnant water and opening blocked manholes to allow outflow.

Several pockets of the city plunged into darkness as transformers tripped under the load of the sudden showers. At Nacharam, Chikkadpally and parts of Serilingampally, traffic slowed to a crawl as vehicles waded through knee-deep water.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy directed officials to remain on high alert, calling for SDRF units to be deployed wherever needed. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert for Hyderabad and its surroundings, officials have been asked to monitor vulnerable zones overnight and ensure citizens face no major disruption.

Officials pointed to preventive desilting at Maitrivanam, which ensured that the floodwater cleared quickly there despite the intensity of rain.

Elsewhere, however,

Other districts, including Adilabad, Warangal and Nalgonda, saw light or very light showers.

Heaviest rainfall

Thatinanram in Abdullapurmet mandal, Rangareddy district, topped the state with 127.5 mm rain, according to the Telangana Development Planning Society.

In Musheerabad in the city, Boudanagar recorded at 121 mm rainfall and Jawaharnagar 112.8 mm.

The Osmania University station recorded 101.8 mm rainfall.

A scorching Sunday afternoon in the city gave way to chaos by evening as sudden heavy rain lashed Hyderabad, The heaviest showers were recorded in Musheerabad and Shaikpet, where multiple gauges logged over 90 mm, while

Colonies in Jubilee Hills, Tolichowki, Malakpet, Azamabad, Tarnaka, Lakdikapul, Ameerpet and Kacheguda turned into streams within minutes.

Traffic police diverted vehicles from Rethibowli towards Shaikpet nala and from Nanalnagar to Langar Houz.

Two-wheelers stalled in waist-deep water at Musheerabad and Chikkadpally, while riders sought shelter under flyovers to escape the sheets of rain.

Other areas with heavy rainfall

Marredpally 95.5 mm

Shaikpet 92.8 mm,

Kapra 91.5 mm

Adikmet 93.3 mm

Bholakpur 85 mm

Himayatnagar, Uppal: 75 mm

Alwal, Neredmet Manikonda: 77-70 mm.

In the districts

Watpalle, Sangareddy: 76 mm

Thoguta (Siddipet): 71.8 mm

Mirdoddi: 70 mm

Medak’s Islampur logged 65 mm

Hyderabad averaged 33.9 mm rainfall by 9 pm.