Hyderabad, April 29:
Hyderabad city was brought to a standstill due to heavy rainfall early this morning. The unexpected downpour caused roads, colonies, and houses to be flooded with rainwater, causing inconvenience to the people. The situation was worsened by waist-deep water on the roads at many places, bringing vehicular traffic to a halt. As a result, many people were confined to their homes, panicked by the sudden heavy rainfall.
The basti-dwellers were particularly affected, with their houses and streets submerged in rainwater, and vehicles parked outside their homes washed away. Areas such as Himayat Nagar, Surya Nagar, Bhaglingampally, Chikkadapally, Tilak Nagar, and others were heavily flooded, causing damage to property and goods. The GHMC helpline received over a hundred calls for relief measures, with reports of broken electricity poles and fallen trees.
Despite the heavy rainfall, the GHMC canals were filled with silt, exacerbating the situation. Rainwater did not clear in many areas until the afternoon. The highest recorded rainfall was in Himayatnagar (7.8 cm), followed by Gachibowli (7.1 cm), East Anand Bagh (6.4 cm), Mushira Bad (6.3 cm), and Sheikh Pet (6.1 cm).
This situation highlights the need for effective drainage and waste management systems in the city to prevent such disasters. The city administration must take steps to ensure that the GHMC canals are cleared of silt and that the drainage systems are upgraded to prevent future flooding.
