Telangana: Hyderabad faces waterlogging due to heavy rainfall; IMD issues yellow alert

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 18 (ANI): Heavy rainfall lashed parts of Hyderabad on Thursday, resulting in waterlogging across several localities, including Khairatabad and MS Maqta, causing inconvenience to residents and vehicular traffic, officials said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by gusty winds (30-40 kmph), for the next 48 hours in Hyderabad. Mist or hazy conditions are also likely to prevail during the morning and night hours.
The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Telangana, forecasting thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds at isolated places across all districts on September 18 and 19.
The alert extends to multiple districts on September 20, including Rangareddy, Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Medak, Kamareddy, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, and Jogulamba Gadwal.
The yellow alert has been extended for all districts on September 21 as similar weather conditions are expected to persist.
Earlier, on September 14, two people were swept away by floodwaters following heavy rainfall in the Habeeb Nagar area of Hyderabad.
A search and rescue operation was launched, with three teams from the Disaster Response Force (DRF) deployed to locate the missing individuals.
According to Habeeb Nagar police station officials, "Around 9 pm, after heavy rain, two people, Arjun (26) and Rama (25), were swept away in the rainwater. They have not been found yet. Three DRF teams are on the ground, but water flow in the area remains heavy."
Despite the intense rainfall, Hyderabad Traffic Police personnel were deployed across the city to manage congestion, assist commuters, and clear water-logged stretches.
"Our teams worked round-the-clock to ensure minimal disruption by regulating traffic at key junctions, coordinating with GHMC and HYDRAA teams for water clearance, and responding swiftly to emergency calls," the police said in a statement. "We sincerely thank the public for their patience and cooperation during these challenging hours. Hyderabad Traffic Police remains committed to your safety and service."
Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has instructed officials to expedite flood relief efforts and directed the state administration to seek financial assistance from the Union Government to strengthen response and rehabilitation mechanisms in rain-affected areas. (ANI)