Heaviest Rainfall of Year Hits Hyderabad City
Sudden deluge brings city to standstill
HYDERABAD: A burst of torrential rain threw Hyderabad into chaos on Monday, flooding roads and leaving commuters stuck across some of the busiest parts of the city. Between 3.30 pm and 5.30 pm, a concentrated downpour dumped over 100 mm of rain in multiple areas.
Gajularamaram topped the charts with 151.5 mm, followed by Jubilee Hills and Yousufguda, at 124.5 mm and 117 mm, respectively. The intensity caught many off guard.
Water gushed down Road No. 10 in Banjara Hills, carrying waste and dislodging scooters parked along the kerbs. In Kalapathar, the roads resembled narrow canals. A tree collapsed near NIMS Hospital on a car. It also damaged a couple of two-wheelers that were parked around it. The incident stalled traffic in the area.
Metro passengers at Ameerpet found themselves stranded at the exit as water pooled across walkways and seeped into the concourse.
Kukatpally, Mehdipatnam, some areas in Khairatabad and Shaikpet saw rainfall above 80 mm. Live maps lit up red across Jubilee Hills, Khairatabad, Lakdikapul, Narayanguda, Begumpet and Raj Bhavan Road.
The Satyam Theatre area witnessed vehicles slowing to a crawl. On the stretch circling KBR Park, a 1.7 km-long bottleneck formed, with water reaching inner lanes. Around 112 mm in Shaikpet was reported in just over an hour. Weather trackers called it the heaviest downpour of the year.
The Telangana Integrated Command and Control Centre released advisories asking the public to avoid non-essential travel and traffic police sent alerts about roadblocks and waterlogged stretches.
Around 6.30 pm, the core storm activity began to move out of Hyderabad. Intense rainfall lingered briefly over Miyapur, Quthbullapur and Hafeezpet before easing.
Dry but humid conditions are expected to continue till noon on Tuesday, followed by scattered heavy thunderstorms in a few parts during the afternoon and evening. IMD forecasts for Hyderabad remain consistent with moderate to heavy rain, gusty winds, slippery roads and poor drainage in several zones.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) advised the passengers to stay updated on the weather and plan their travel to and from the airport accordingly. The passengers were requested to check with their respective airlines for flight-related updates.
GHMC commissioner R.V. Karnan oversaw the corporation’s response from the head office control room. Disaster Response Force and monsoon emergency teams cleared debris, lifted manhole covers where required and helped drain out water from flooded colonies. HYDRAA commissioner A.V. Ranganath inspected Lakdikapul and areas around Mehdi Function Hall.
HMWS&SB managing director Ashok Reddy and executive director Mayank Mittal directed field staff to remain available round the clock for three days and to monitor water quality, prevent road-level flooding and respond swiftly to complaints.
