Heavy Rain Causes Rising Water Levels in Hyderabad
Heavy rainfall in Hyderabad and its surrounding areas has led to a significant increase in the water levels of key reservoirs, including Himayat Sagar, Osman Sagar, and Hussain Sagar. As a result, water had to be released from the Hussain Sagar’s sluice gates on Sunday.
According to officials from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the water level in Hussain Sagar has risen to +513.60 feet, which is above its Full Tank Level (FTL) of +513.41 feet. In response to this, authorities have issued warnings to residents living in downstream areas such as Kavadiguda, Gandhi Nagar, Ashok Nagar, and Bholakpur. They have also put several precautionary measures in place to handle potential flooding. This is the second time this year that the sluice gates have been opened.
Osman Sagar is also experiencing a similar rise in water levels, currently standing at 1,782 feet, just below its FTL of 1,790 feet. In Himayat Sagar, the water level is at 1,763.50 feet, which is close to its FTL of 1,756.60 feet. Despite the continuous rainfall in the city, the storage levels at both Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar have actually decreased compared to last year.
As of Sunday, Osman Sagar held 1.790 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) of water, which is below its full storage capacity of 3.900 TMC. Similarly, Himayat Sagar currently has 1.755 TMC of water, compared to its total capacity of 2.967 TMC.
Additionally, other water bodies within Hyderabad, like Hasmathpet Lake and Saroornagar Lake, are also close to breaching their limits due to the heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, residents living near Hussain Sagar, including those in Kavadiguda, Gandhi Nagar, Ashok Nagar, and Bholakpur, are demanding a permanent solution to the flooding. They are calling for the installation of storm drains in low-lying areas to prevent future incidents.