Heavy Rains Claim 7 Lives in Telangana

Hyderabad: At least seven persons, including a 15-year-old girl and a boy, were killed as incessant rains wreaked havoc across Telangana on Tuesday morning.

The relentless downpour, accompanied by lightnings, left several districts grappling with floods and devastation. Life was thrown asunder across Hyderabad and several districts after intense rainfall that began at 4.30 am led to widespread disruptions on Tuesday.

Yousufguda recorded the highest rainfall in Hyderabad at 125.5 mm, while heavy rains resulted in severe waterlogging, particularly in low-lying areas like Musheerabad and Secunderabad, causing extensive traffic jams and residents finding it difficult to navigate through the flooded streets.

Amid this, was the confusion created regarding closures of schools. While many schools within the GHMC limits declared a holiday, others remained open, leading to uncertainty among parents and students.

Adding to the challenges, the water levels at Hussainsagar Lake rose dangerously close to the Full Tank Level (FTL). By 10:40 am, the lake’s water level was recorded at 513.63 metres, just shy of its maximum level of 514.75 metres. The lake's inflow stood at 1,850 cusecs, prompting the authorities to release 1,600 cusecs downstream to manage the rising water levels and prevent overflow.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Hyderabad and a red alert for several districts, including Jogulamba Gadwal, which recorded 132 mm of rain, and Wanaparthy with 130 mm.

The IMD has forecast continued rainfall across the state, including thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds in isolated areas, particularly in Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, and Mancherial districts.

In Hyderabad’s Musheerabad, a 43-year-old Vijay, a daily-wage labourer from Ramnagar, had left his home for work but was caught in the sudden surge of water. Locals reported that he was trapped under a car and lost his life.

Gadwal district was particularly hard hit as lightning killed three persons. In Aradigadda village, 28-year-old Nalla Reddy was struck while working in his field, and 40-year-old Vemula Raju met a similar fate in Kyatur village. In Maldakal village, a 15-year-old girl perished while on her way home, while a 15-year-old boy was struck by lightning while he was heading to the fields in Vikarabad district. Mancherial district saw the loss of 57-year-old Bhaskar Goud, who was working in the field when he was felled by lightning. A similar tragedy struck 58-year-old Narayana of Peddapalli district while herding cattle back home.