Thunderstorms, power cuts, and flooded streets: Hyderabad to brace for more rains

Hyderabad: After the city and the state endured a wet Friday night, the IMD-Hyderabad has issued a fresh alert warning of thunderstorms, strong winds, and hailstorms across districts on Sunday. The stormy conditions are expected to continue for another day before gradually subsiding.

While the downpours brought relief from the recent heatwave, they also caused widespread disruptions, from power outages to severe waterlogging in several areas of Hyderabad.

Friday night’s downpour left many parts of the city in darkness, as power cuts were reported in multiple neighbourhoods, some of which remained without electricity until 5 am on Saturday. Parts of Secunderabad, Padmaraonagar, Kukatpally, Uppal, LB Nagar, Mehdipatnam, and Malkajgiri were among those affected.

Heavy rains, accompanied by strong winds, caused trees and electrical poles to topple in a few places. Residents struggled through the humid night without fans or air conditioning, while many reported difficulty in reaching emergency services due to poor network connectivity caused by the weather.

Power utilities personnel rushed to the affected spots and restored supply in most spots by conducting repairs. Southern discom chairman and managing director Musharraf Faruqui inspected the damage at many places.

The downpour also resulted several underpasses being submerged. Low-lying areas such as Musheerabad and Amberpet were among the worst-affected, with roads resembling shallow lakes well into the morning. Commuters navigating early morning routes found themselves wading through knee-deep water, while motorists were left stranded due to stalled vehicles. Several drainage systems overflowed, worsening the inundation and slowing down the receding of floodwaters.

Amidst the chaos, Hyderabad’s emergency rescue teams, HYDRAA, were pressed into action for an unusual rescue operation. On 100ft Road in Madhapur’s Ayyappa Society, a buffalo was rescued from an open manhole.

According to IMD-Hyderabad, the unstable weather is being driven by a trough extending at an altitude of 1.5 km above sea level, stretching from South Chhattisgarh through Telangana and into Karnataka. This system has led to increased cloud formation and moisture accumulation, resulting in repeated spells of rain across the state.

Farmers in several districts have already begun reporting crop damage, particularly in paddy fields and mango orchards, raising concerns over agricultural losses if the wet conditions persist.