Heavy Rains Pound Hyderabad; Residents of Tolichowki Evacuated

In a flooded Saroornagar, a car and minivan were washed away due to the force of flowing rain water.

Many had to be evacuated overnight as heavy rains lashed Hyderabad, submerging roads, vehicles and flooding houses.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

As heavy rains came down on Hyderabad’s Tolichowki on Tuesday night, the Disaster Response Force of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), equipped with boats, evacuated residents of Nadeem Colony, with rainwater entering several homes. The evacuees were shifted to a shelter by the Disaster Management officials.

Several low-lying areas in the city, such as East Anandbagh and Raj Bhavan Road, were inundated with rain water. In Hyderabad’s Saroornagar, which received extremely heavy rainfall, a car and minivan were washed away due to the force of flowing rain water.

In Nagaram, Chakradhara enclave — a gated community with about 80 homes — rainwater entered into every house, forcing the residents to reach out to authorities. A similar situation prevailed in Saket Housing colony in ECIL.

On Tuesday, 13 October, Hayathnagar in the city received the highest rainfall of 22.4 cm, which is categorised as extremely heavy rainfall.

Saroornagar and Uppal also received extremely heavy rainfall, at 21.4 and 20.6 cm respectively. Other areas in the city, such as Keesara, Medipally, Kapra, Musheerabad, Bandlaguda, Alwal, Malkajgiri, Charminar and Maredpally, recorded heavy rainfall. Santoshnagar in Saidabad recorded the lowest rainfall, at 14.4 cm.

Traffic was severely affected across the city due to the heavy rainfall, and police were deployed to manage the situation.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar has advised residents to stay inside.

“Very heavy rains are expected in many parts of Hyderabad. Please stay indoors and don’t allow your kids to go out tonight. We are there for any help. Traffic and Law Order officers are trying their best to help. Still I regret the inconvenience caused to you and your family.”

The GHMC, which was on an alert, has been receiving several emergency calls. For disaster management: 9000113667; for tree cutting: 6309062583; for electricity problems: 9440813750; for National Disaster Response Force: 8333068536, according to the GHMC.

As per the GHMC grievance report, the corporation received nearly 600 complaints regarding water logging, trees falling etc until 9 pm.

Telangana has been receiving incessant rainfall due to a deep depression in Bay of Bengal. The depression crossed the northern coast of Andhra Pradesh, close to Kakinada on Tuesday morning between 6.30 and 7.30.

The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall for Wednesday as well.

(This article was first published on The News Minute and has been republished with permission.)