Hyderabad records highest ever September rainfall in 100 years

The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad witnessed torrential rains for nearly 12 hours from Tuesday evening bringing normal life to a grinding halt.

According to data available with the India Meteorological Department’s Hyderabad centre, the rainfall ranged from 7.5 cm to 13.2 cm at different locations. “The maximum rainfall received was 13.2 cm at Trimulgherry in Secunderabad cantonment area, which is a record in the month of September in the last 111 years,” Director of IMD, Hyderabad, Y K Reddy told Hindustan Times.

The previous highest rainfall in Hyderabad in the month of September was 15.32 cm in 1908. “Usually, the rainfall in the month of September will be less as the monsoon season will conclude by the month-end. That way, witnessing such a huge rainfall in this month is rather unusual phenomenon,” Reddy said.

The IMD official, however, said Hyderabad had witnessed huge rainfall of this magnitude several times in the past. As per the official records, the highest rainfall received by the state capital in a span of 24 hours was 24 cm on August 25, 2000. The earlier highest figure was 35.51 mm in October, 1916.

State IT and municipal administration minister K T Rama Rao tweeted: “We are witnessing the highest ever rainfall in September in over 100 plus years! I would like to thank the hardworking and dedicated teams of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Hyderabad city police, Telangana state southern power distribution company limited and others for their excellent work (in restoring normalcy).”

As of Wednesday morning, Shanti Nagar and some other parts of Uppal received 12 cm, Marredpally in Secunderabad 11.4 cm and Musheerabad 11 cm, Begumpet 10.4 cm, Monda Market 10.3 cm, Habsiguda 10.2 cm and Bowenpally 10 cm.

The heavy rains inundated several roads, colonies and low-lying areas in different parts of the city. There were traffic snarls in the upscale Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills and IT hub like Madhapur.

The situation eased by Wednesday morning, when no rains were reported from any part of the city. However, the Met department predicted light to moderate thundershowers in the evening.

“There will, however, be moderate to heavy rainfall in many parts of Telangana,” Hyderabad Meterological Department head of weather forecasting wing Dr K Nagaratna said.

Heavy Rain is likely at isolated places in the districts of Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Warangal Rural, Warangal Urban, Mulug, Mahbubnagar, Bhadadri Kothagudem, Khammam, Suryapet, Nalgonda, Nagarkurnool, Jogulamba Gadwal, Wanaparthy and Narayanpet of Telangana, the official said.