Rain havoc: Flood fears keep Ameenpur residents on edge

Hyderabad: The substantial rainfall throughout the city on Tuesday caused the city lakes to reach their maximum capacity, particularly Ameenpur Pedda Cheruvu, which experienced significant inflows. This has prompted residents of Ameenpur to fear potential flooding if the rain persists.

Just a brief spell of rain caused Suraram lake, IDL lake, Nizampet lake, and notably Ameenpur lake to swell, with their natural stormwater channels overflowing. Adding to the crisis, numerous fish were discovered either floating in the water or along the lake's banks, attributed to effluents discharged by nearby industries.

Residents living near the lake recalled a similar occurrence in 2019, when the streets were inundated with rainwater. They express concern that history might repeat itself if the rainfall persists. Without a lasting solution, there's a risk of the lake bund collapsing, leading to water overflowing into the streets and nearby houses.

RK Yadav, a resident of Ameenpur, said, “We are vexed up with requesting concerned officials to provide a permanent solution for the overflowing of water in our colonies. The negligence of the responsible authorities leaves us vulnerable with each rain. Just a short spell of rain last night filled the lake to its brim. If the bund isn't reinforced, we will face potential consequences.”

“Even the slightest rainfall is sufficient to inundate our surroundings, causing us sleepless nights. Our locality, being low-lying, suffered from severe floods in 2019, with water levels reaching up to 5-6 feet inside houses. We are determined to avoid a repeat of that ordeal. Along with this, another major concern is that the lake needs to be regularly monitored. The complete lake is polluted, as our locality is surrounded by a lot of industries, due to which we can see dead fish floating in the lake every day. We have complained to the Ameenpur Municipality many times, but all fell on deaf ears,” said Mahesh, another resident.