HYDERABAD: Two persons were killed in a fresh spell of overnight heavy rain, which left dozens of residential colonies inundated in the city and adjoining areas, adding to the woes of people who are yet to recover in the aftermath of last week’s deluge.
Over 19 cm of rainfall on October 17-18 night in and around Hyderabad also dealt a blow to rescue and relief operations started following torrential rains on October 13-14.
Shocking visuals of vehicles getting washed away by gushing waters emerged from some of the worst-affected areas following the downpour last night.
Boats were pressed into service to rescue the affected people as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Disaster Response Force of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) launched rescue and relief work in Hafiz Baba Nagar and surrounding colonies that were submerged after the Balapur lake breached late Saturday night.
People in affected areas spent a sleepless night and some had to take shelter on rooftops as their houses were submerged.
Chandrayangutta MLA and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi along with Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar visited Hafiz Baba Nagar on Sunday morning to take stock of the situation.
The Police Commissioner said that low-lying colonies Hafiz Baba Nagar, Phoolbagh, Omar Colony, Indra Nagar, Shivaji Nagar and Rajiv Nagar were inundated.
“Please cooperate with the police in evacuation exercise,” Anjani Kumar tweeted.
He also supervised rescue work in Golnaka, Moosarambagh, Malakpet, Madannapet, Lal Darwaza, Aliabad, Shamsherganj, Al Jubail Colony and Gazi-e-Millat Colony.
Asserting that things were “in control”, he said that onlookers should not come out on roads.
Rescue work was also launched in Singareni employees’ colony in Saroornagar. Several colonies in the area went under water for the second time in less than a week.
Overflowing lakes and nullahs inundated many residential areas in and around the city.
Following the inundation, police closed the Malakpet Road underbridge, Gaddi Annaram to Shiva Ganga Road, Moosaram Bagh causeway and Chaderghat causeway. It appealed to the commuters to take alternate routes.
Falaknuma bridge near the famous Falaknuma Palace in the old city was also closed for traffic after damage to it.
The rain further damaged the Hyderabad-Bengaluru highway at Gaganpahad. The Cyberabad police urged people going to Hyderabad Airport to use the Outer Ring Road (ORR).
Vehicles coming from Kurnool and Bengaluru were also diverted to take ORR at Tondupally.
According to Telangana State Development Planning Society, Singapur Township in Ghatkesar near Hyderabad received a maximum rainfall of 19.73 cm. Many areas in and around the city saw over 15 cm rainfall.
The Hyderabad weather office forecast more rains. “Light to moderate rain or thundershowers are very likely to occur in some parts of the city on Sunday,” it said.
The city had received over 19 cm rainfall on October-13-14 with some areas on the outskirts recording a very heavy rainfall of nearly 30 cm.
The flash floods in Hyderabad and other parts of the state last week killed 50 people. Majority of the deaths were reported from the city and its outskirts.