Hyderabad reels under flooding, traffic chaos after heaviest rain in 5 years

Hyderabad witnessed heavy rainfall for the second consecutive day on Thursday, crippling normal life across the city. According to data from the Telangana Development Planning Society (TDPS), Bahadurpura topped the rainfall charts, with the Chandulal Baradari area near Zoo Park logging 86 mm. Close behind were Chandulal Baradari Sports Complex at Doodbowli with 83.8 mm and Roopal Bazar Community Hall in Charminar zone with 77.3 mm.

Other localities too saw significant rainfall, Sardar Mahal (68.3 mm), LB Stadium in Gunfoundry (67 mm), Begum Bazar (66.8 mm), and Kapra (62.5 mm). Several neighbourhoods in Nampally, Khairatabad, Asifnagar, and Alwal also crossed the 50 mm mark on Thursday, The Times of India reported.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Telangana, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, strong surface winds, and more showers on Friday. Officials said light to moderate rains with gusty winds of up to 40 kmph are expected in Hyderabad and surrounding districts.

Heaviest spell in five years

This week’s relentless rains come on the heels of Hyderabad’s heaviest rainfall in five years. The city witnessed a cloudburst-like downpour on Wednesday night that left major parts of it paralysed. Musheerabad recorded the highest with 184.5 mm at Talla Basthi community hall, followed by 174.8 mm at MCH Colony and 155.5 mm near Musheerabad police station.

The last time Hyderabad saw comparable rainfall was on October 17, 2020, when over 170 mm was recorded in several areas.

In all, 10 locations across the city recorded more than 130 mm within just a few hours, rainfall levels that meteorologists described as rare and alarming in this time of the year.

Streets submerged, traffic paralysed

The downpour quickly flooded several parts of the city. Roads in Bahadurpura, Malakpet, Goshamahal, and Nampally went under water, while residential colonies in Asifnagar and Begumpet faced waterlogging. In Musheerabad, residents of Talla Basthi waded through waist-deep water.

“By 6.30 pm, our lane looked like a stream. We couldn’t step out without rolling our trousers and holding our shoes in hand,” TOI quoted M Prakash from Vijayanagar Colony as saying. Notably, the colony recorded 54.5 mm of rain. Naseema Begum from Ambedkar Nagar in Alwal added, “The water takes three to four hours to recede. Until then, we are completely cut off.”

Traffic across Hyderabad came to a grinding halt on Thursday evening. Arterial roads and underpasses were submerged, causing long snarls in the Old City, Mehdipatnam, Khairatabad, Banjara Hills, and Lakdi-ka-pul. Commuters travelling from Secunderabad to Balanagar were stuck in gridlocks stretching several kilometres.

Kapra, Bandlaguda, and Quthbullapur also saw flooding in low-lying areas. In Jubilee Hills and Shaikpet, where rainfall ranged between 44 mm and 47 mm, overflowing drains added to commuter woes. Traffic police were forced to divert vehicles at multiple locations, especially in Nampally and Charminar, where knee-deep water made roads impassable.

Government response and forecast ahead

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy directed all departments, including police, GHMC, HYDRAA, Traffic, and Energy, to coordinate relief operations and clear waterlogged roads. He appealed to residents of low-lying areas to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary. Emergency teams were deployed across the city to help manage traffic, rescue stranded commuters, and provide immediate relief.

As per the TOI report, meteorologists have attributed the back-to-back heavy rainfall to moisture-laden winds interacting with local weather conditions. They warned that more showers were likely in the coming days. “Light to moderate rains are expected. Residents in vulnerable areas should stay alert and take precautions,” said an IMD official.