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Hyderabad: Small portion of Charminar's minaret collapses after heavy rain lashes city
Heavy rain on Thursday disrupted life across Telangana, causing waterlogging, uprooted trees, and traffic jams in several areas of Hyderabad.
A small section of the minaret of Hyderabad's historic Charminar collapsed on Thursday following heavy rainfall in parts of the city, news agency ANI reported, citing police. No casualties were reported in the incident.
ANI quoted the inspector of Charminar police station as saying, “A small piece of the minaret of Hyderabad's iconic Charminar structure fell off after heavy rain lashed parts of the city. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the incident.”
Police added, “This incident occurred today, where a small piece of the minaret fell down due to rainfall, and fortunately, there were no casualties reported.”
Rain in several parts of Telangana
Moderate to heavy rainfall on Thursday disrupted normal life in several parts of Telangana. According to a PTI report citing the Telangana State Development Planning Society, Narayanpur in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district received 97.8 mm of rainfall, while the GHMC head office area in Hyderabad recorded 91 mm.
The downpour led to waterlogging, fallen trees, and traffic jams in different parts of Hyderabad. Officials said teams from the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) were deployed to clear waterlogged streets and remove trees obstructing traffic.
According to the IMD, an upper air cyclonic circulation over Marathwada and adjoining Madhya Maharashtra at 0.9 km above mean sea level is influencing the current weather conditions.
In its weather advisory for farmers, the Met Centre predicted light to moderate rain or thundershowers in isolated areas of Telangana on Friday, April 4.
Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy directed officials to take necessary relief measures to ensure that residents do not face difficulties.
He instructed chief secretary Santhi Kumari to oversee the situation and take appropriate steps to prevent hardships, especially for those living in low-lying areas.
The CM also urged the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), police, HYDRAA, and other relevant agencies to coordinate their response to manage the impact of the rainfall.
The electricity department was asked to promptly address power supply disruptions and restore services as soon as possible. District collectors, police officers, and officials from various departments have been put on high alert due to heavy rains, strong winds, and hailstorms.
(With ANI, PTI inputs)
