Seven killed as heavy rains batter Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Aug 31 (IANS) At least seven people were killed as heavy rains battered Hyderabad on Wednesday, officials said.

The downpour brought life in the city and the outskirts to a standstill. Low-lying areas were inundated while roads were flooded, bringing traffic to a halt.

The heavy rains, which began around 7 a.m. and continued till afternoon, claimed seven lives. Four children were among the dead in incidents of wall or house collapse.

Two of the children were killed along their construction labourers parents when a boundary wall of a building fell on their hut in Ramanthapur area.

In another incident in Bholakpur, a woman and her two daughters were killed when the roof of their house collapsed.

Greater Hyderabad Mayor B. Rammohan said about 10 cm rainfall was received in parts of the city and the outskirts, the highest in 15 years.

Water entered residential areas in several pockets, forcing people to shift to safer places. People living in low-lying areas and abutting open drains complained of damage to household articles.

Heavy rains pounded almost all parts of Hyderabad, its twin city Secunderabad, IT hub Cyberabad and the outskirts.

Within no time, all the main roads were flooded with manholes and open drains overflowing. Commuters including school going children had a tough time.

Vehicles were stuck on all major arteries in the usually busy areas of Secunderabad, Dilsukhnagar, L.B. Nagar, Abids, Koti, Chaderghat, Ameerpet, Mehdipatnam and Rajendarnagar.

Cars and two-wheelers were washed away in some areas.

Several private schools declared a holiday while the government permitted its employees to report late to work.

The Musi river was flowing over Moosarambagh causeway, bringing traffic to a halt in Chaderghat and Malakpet areas.

Heavy inflows in Hussainsagar lake in the heart of the city also led to a sharp rise in the water level.

The met department has forecast more rains over the next one day under the impact of the upper air cyclonic circulation over west central Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of north Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

The Mayor asked people living in dilapidated buildings to move out.

Several parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh received heavy rains since Tuesday night. Low-lying areas were inundated due to overflowing rivulets, streams and tanks.