HYDERABAD: After a chaotic Wednesday when incessant rains for more than 72 hours resulted in trees getting uprooted, traffic slowdowns causing massive jams and unfortunate sporadic incidents of loss of lives, there seems to be no let up in the rains even on Thursday.
In fact, IMD (Indian Meteorological Department) issued an Orange alert for Telangana and Yellow alert for Hyderabad for the next two days forecasting widespread rainfall.
While the government machinery has swung into action to ensure readiness to deal with any exigencies – including sharing the weather forecast with seven day outlook with all the district collectors through State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) to ensure preparedness for the effective response measures to the situation, harried public took to twitter and other social media platforms to share their plight and the problems faced by them.
Most of the tweets were also accompanied by the visuals of the havoc caused by the rains in their respective localities.
Sowmith Yakkati who goes by the handle @sowmith7 tweeted, “Terrible traffic across #Hyderabad city including at Madhapur & Hi-tech city after incessant rains. #hyderabadRains Her tweet was accompanied by a video of traffic moving at a snail’s pace through the congested road.
Responses from the twitterati included a comparison of this traffic jam to the traffic jam few years ago when IKEA showroom was inaugurated, to a covert and not so covert dig at the present ruling political dispensation for not caring for the public and enjoying the rains in their farmhouses.
@callingspadeasp tweeted, “& some maybe enjoying in farmhouses.”
@rachitmathur5 tweeted, “Drama rao must be enjoying in his farmhouse”
@Riyazuddin555 tweeted, “O My God....I remember the day IKEA got inaugurated. There was a severe traffic jam. And now after year’s of inauguration still there is a huge traffic jam. Work from home is the only best option to get rid of this traffic and rains.”
Another user @RVKRao2 tweeted a video of waterlogged road with GHMC and DRF teams working to clear it near Yashoda Hospital Malakpet.
He tweeted, “Water logging near Yashoda hospital Malakpet after heavy rain in Hyderabad on Thursday. GHMC, DRF teams were on the job of clearing rain water. @balaji25_t @arvindkumar_ias @GHMCOnline @GadwalvijayaTRS @CommissionerGHMC @Hyderabadrains
Some parents also tweeted criticising the knee jerk reaction of the education minister in announcing closure of schools at 8:18 am today when most of the kids had already either left for their schools or had already reached the schools. That too when the IMD had been issuing alerts since last two days.
Authorities through social media also informed the public about possible traffic congestions in identified locations due to possibility of heavy rainfall. They have further cautioned the public to be careful while and if possible avoid stepping out as the roads are wet and slippery roads make commuting through them risky.
Also, as per the forecast there is a likelihood of trees and electric poles falling causing power outages and risk to public safety.
Meanwhile, MAUD minister KT Rama Rao, reviewed the preparations to deal with heavy rains and mitigate its impact ensuring public safety, and issued necessary instructions to the concerned departments for seamless coordination to deal with the situation.
