Traffic snarls, waterlogging, flood alerts: Sudden heavy downpour on Sunday leaves Hyderabad reeling

Hyderabad: A sudden spell of heavy rainfall on Sunday evening left several parts of Hyderabad and its outskirts inundated, halting traffic and prompting the opening of floodgates at city reservoirs.

Intense Rains Across the City

The downpour, which began around 6 pm and lasted until 9 pm, recorded high volumes of rainfall across multiple neighbourhoods.

According to data from the Telangana State Development Planning Society (TGDPS), Shaikpet reported the highest rainfall at 8 cm, followed by East Anandbagh (5.5 cm), Bandlaguda (5.4 cm), and Lalapet (5.1 cm).

Several other localities, including Boduppal, Peerzadiguda, Narapalli, Abdullapurmet, Uppal, Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, Basheerbagh, LB Nagar, Hayathnagar, Nampally, and Gachibowli, witnessed heavy showers, leading to prolonged waterlogging.

Traffic Disruptions and Diversions

Traffic movement was severely affected in multiple parts of the city. Water flooding at Uppal X Roads and on the highway connecting Uppal to Warangal forced vehicles to a standstill.

Hyderabad Traffic Police announced diversions through its official X handle:

• Traffic from Retibowli was diverted towards Shaikpet Nala.

• Traffic from Nanal Nagar was diverted towards Langer House.

Motorists were advised to seek alternate routes due to waterlogging at Saifabad, Ayodhya Junction, Tolichowki, Shaikpet Nala, and Retibowli Junction.

Mayor Inspects Relief Efforts

Waterlogging was also reported in front of the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) on Banjara Hills Road No. 12, bringing movement to a halt. Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi personally supervised clearing operations alongside Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) teams.

Rising Musi River Levels

The heavy rainfall increased inflows into the Musi River. With water levels nearing full capacity, officials of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) released water by opening floodgates at Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar reservoirs.

Authorities have begun preparations to safeguard residents in low-lying areas along the Musi River, anticipating further swelling.

IMD Forecast and Alerts

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Hyderabad, has forecast light-to-moderate rain and thundershowers in the city on Monday evening and night.

“Scattered thunderstorms are expected across the city and adjoining districts. Localised heavy rainfall may occur in short bursts, particularly in the evening hours,” Meteorologist K. S. Sridhar told NewsMeter.

The IMD issued an orange alert for Hyderabad, Malkajgiri, Mulugu, Sangareddy, Warangal, and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, warning of rainfall between 5 and 15 cm per hour.

A yellow alert was issued for Adilabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Hanamakonda, Jangaon, Karimnagar, Khammam, Komuram Bheem, Nalgonda, Siddipet, Vikarabad, and several other districts, predicting less than 5 cm of rainfall per hour.

Statewide Weather Outlook

Local weather analyst T. Balaji noted, “Intense thunderstorms are likely to affect districts including Nalgonda, Sangareddy, Siddipet, Kamareddy, Warangal, and Khammam. These storms may continue until late at night.”

The IMD forecast further predicts thunderstorms across all districts of Telangana till September 19.