Heavy rains, gusty winds lash Hyderabad

​Hyderabad: A sudden thunderstorm along with gusty winds lashed Hyderabad on Thursday. The powerful winds uprooted trees and poles and the torrential rain led to water logging on busy roads.

Though the thunderstorm brought down the temperature drastically, it created havoc as vehicular traffic came to a halt at many junctions. Till afternoon, it was searing day, but suddenly dark clouds sailed over the city skyline with lightning followed by heavy downpour accompanied by gusty winds.

Though the thunderstorm lasted only for about half-an-hour to 45 minutes, it caused havoc not witnessed in the recent past. A number of trees were uprooted and it took civic authorities time to clear the roads and hence the traffic came to a standstill.

A maximum temperature of 39 degrees Celsius was recorded in the city till afternoon but it went down to 29 degrees Celsius. The city traffic was snarled down with the effect of flooded roads and water logging in many areas. Dark cumulonimbus clouds formed reducing the visibility; the afternoon appeared like evening during the rain. The gusty winds created panic among the citizens who live in low lying areas. Wall collapses and rooftops made up of tin-sheets too fell down at several places.

“The thunderstorms were due to the cumulonimbus clouds, which form during the summer season, as water evaporates and forms clouds. The situation cannot be forecast for more than two-day, as weather change takes place all of a sudden,” said Y K Reddy, IMD Hyderabad Director. "There were no reports of rains or thundershowers from any part in Telangana on Thursday," he added. The IMD predicted rains on Friday also.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Control Room was flooded with calls about fallen trees and water stagnation problems. “By 7:00 pm, we had received calls about 77 trees being uprooted, six fallen electric poles and 31 streets having become waterlogged,” said one municipal official.

The GHMC Commissioner B Janardhan Reddy visited Red Hills, Vijay Nagar colony and other areas following reports of trees having been uprooted and monitored clearing operations.