Hyderabad: The September rains in Hyderabad always takes people back to the memories of the great Musi floods which occurred in 1908. Called the Thughyani Sitambar, it is said to have shattered lives, killed tens of thousands of people as lakes overflowed, houses collapsed and three famous bridges Afzalgunj, Puranapul-Chaderghat and Mussallam Jung were washed away.
The city recorded 153.2 mm on September 27 in 1908 which has been the highest for the month of September. The rains on September 24, 2019 are the second highest in 111 years. The highest rainfall has also been the most destructive as 50,895 houses were destroyed and an estimated 15,000 people died.
The most affected localities were Karwan, Kulsumpura, Sabzi Petlaburj, Chowmohalla, Patherghatti, Chatta Bazaar, Jiaguda, Mustaidpura, Goshamahal, Troop Bazaar, Chudi Bazaar, Siddiambar Bazaar, Mahbubgunj, Afzalgunj, Feelkhana, Gowliguda, Koti, Sultan Bazaar, the Osmania Hospital, Puranapul.
The tamarind tree in OGH is a mark of those floods as it saved more than 150 lives as people hung onto the tree.
Mrs Anuradha Reddy, convenor of INTACH Hyderabad, explained, “The Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan created a proper channelization of water with lakes and storm water drains based on the advice of Sir Visvesvaraya. The drainage system of those times is still ranked the best. In the present times, we have encroached on our lakes and there is no proper scientific channeling of water. Earlier, the rains would bring the thought of happy times but now it brings worry as traffic, staying back at the office or not leaving home is the main worry.”
