Hyderabad – A sudden and intense downpour on Friday afternoon left large swathes of Hyderabad battered, triggering widespread flooding, waterlogging, and infrastructure damage. The city, reeling from over 10 cm of rainfall in a matter of hours, witnessed wall collapses, emergency evacuations, and paralyzed traffic on key roads.
Boundary Wall Collapses, Families Evacuated Amid Chaos
The rainfall, which began after noon and intensified rapidly, led to the collapse of a boundary wall in the Barkas area around 4:20 p.m. Fortunately, a potential tragedy was averted as a passing vehicle narrowly escaped harm. Elsewhere, in Nallakunta’s Padma Colony, three families were evacuated as floodwaters breached homes. Paigah Colony in Secunderabad and Chinmaya Marg in Mirjalguda also experienced severe flooding, leaving residents marooned for hours.
CM Revanth Reddy Calls for Emergency Coordination
In response to the crisis, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy instructed officials to remain on high alert. He directed immediate coordination between emergency teams and urged a swift response to public grievances. “Teams on the ground must act without delay,” he emphasized, recognizing the city’s vulnerability to sudden cloudbursts.
Iconic Flyovers and Streets Underwater
The city’s infrastructure struggled to cope with the deluge. Viral visuals of two ice cream vendors pushing their carts through knee-deep water at the Gachibowli Biodiversity Junction – with the signature triple-decker flyovers in the backdrop – captured the grim reality of the situation. The Kothaguda-Kondapur flyover was completely waterlogged, turning into a virtual pool.
Highest Rainfall in Northern Hyderabad
The rain, which intensified by early evening, was heaviest in the northern parts of the city. Automatic weather stations recorded over 11.5 cm in Bowenpally and Begumpet by 10 p.m., while Nacharam followed with 10.1 cm. Other severely affected areas included Uppal (10 cm), Malkajgiri (9.7 cm), Bandlaguda (9.5 cm), and Musheerabad (9 cm). Several locations, including Chandrayangutta, Amberpet, and Quthbullahpur, reported rainfall above 8 cm.
Serilingampally and Tech Corridors Bear the Brunt
Though it recorded about 7 cm of rainfall, Serilingampally emerged as one of the worst-hit zones. Major IT corridors such as Madhapur, Gachibowli, Raidurgam, Hitech City, and Kondapur were flooded, bringing life to a standstill. Traffic crawled or halted entirely on several major thoroughfares.
Hussainsagar Nears Full Tank Level
With relentless rains pounding the city, the iconic Hussainsagar lake rose swiftly, nearing its full tank level of 513.41 metres by 5 p.m. City authorities kept a close watch on the water levels amid concerns of possible overflow.
HYDRAA, Traffic Police Work Round-the-Clock
The Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), under Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, led extensive emergency operations. Teams from HYDRAA, supported by the Traffic Police and monsoon emergency forces, were deployed across the city to clear stagnant water and assist stranded residents.
Mr. Ranganath personally inspected rescue efforts at Patny, where stormwater drains overflowed and inundated nearby colonies. Boats were deployed to evacuate trapped families. The recently rejuvenated Bathukamma Kunta lake also received heavy inflows, preventing additional flooding in adjacent areas.
Emergency Calls Flood HYDRAA Control Room
HYDRAA’s control room was inundated with distress calls from residents in Masab Tank, Hitech City, Ayyappa Society, Gajularamaram, Kukatpally, and Hafeezpet, all seeking immediate assistance for water clearance.
Conclusion
Friday’s unanticipated deluge exposed the fragility of Hyderabad’s drainage systems and urban infrastructure. As the city begins to mop up after the storm, civic authorities remain on high alert, bracing for more rainfall in the coming days.
