Rains stoke flood fear in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: With barely three days of heavy rains, there is a flood-like situation in Hyderabad as several low-lying areas were inundated late on Wednesday. Rain that pounded the City all through the day threw life out of gear of residents.

Thousands of people of low-lying areas along nalas and lakes are living in fear since Wednesday evening, as heavy rain flooded many areas and water entered many residences due to which electricity was cut off.

In several places like Ayyappa Colony (Nagole), Aanjanadari Nagar Colony (Nagaram), Kondandram Nagar, Seesala Basti, P&T Colony (Dilsukhnagar), Sai Nagar, Tapovan Colony, Green Park (Saroornagar), Jillelaguda, and several colonies in Uppal were inundated, with rainwater affecting the mobility of residents.

With heavy rain continuing during the last 24 hours across the City and water levels rising in several lakes, the fear of floods is back. Residents living in low-lying areas have started moving out to safer places. In affected areas, many were seen fleeing their homes.

In several places due to recent rain flood water gushed out from a manhole after The Balapur lake started overflowing on Thursday. Water also flowed out from several manholes in P&T Colony after Saroornagar lake was full to the brim.

In Nacharam the Errakunta lake also poured out as rain water spread and submerged nearby areas. Also the Jillelaguda lake breached and water entered Sri Sai Colony and other nearby colonies. In some areas, like the Ayyappa Colony, the civic body had to press into service disaster response teams to evacuate residents. The rescue team had to use boats to move residents, from inundated houses, to safety. As per the India Meteorological department, Hyderabad recorded 12 cm rain during the last 24 hours on Thursday, a record in early July.

Because of heavy rainfall, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) alerted the Disaster Response Force (DRF) and asked it to clear water inundation. The DRF officials said rescue and relief operations began in affected areas. But they admitted that the threat of flood looms large, creating panic among thousands of residents. The flood management works carried out by the GHMC including construction and maintenance of nalas and lakes are yet to be completed.

Few residents in the affected areas told The Hans India that they did not want to get washed away in floods, as they lamented that the State government failed to protect them. A resident of Nagole, Narayan Reddy said: "Crores of rupees were sanctioned to carry out work related to prevention from urban flooding, but floods may once again return to Hyderabad."