Hyderabad, October 04: Water in the Hussainsagar has already crossed the Full Tank Level and further rain in the twin cities in the next 24 hours may cause floods in lowlying areas along the banks of the lake’s surplus nala.
Heavy rain in the last few days filled up the Hussainsagar and the water is overflowing dangerously. People living in low-lying areas have been alerted and asked to move to safer places.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Commissioner SP Singh, Special Commissioner MT Krishna Babu and Hyderabad District Collector Naveen Mittal along with senior officials visited the low-lying areas along the 5.5-km surplus nala from the Hussainsagar weir to Golnaka.
Singh told `Express’ that as against the FTL of 513.58 metres, water in the Hussainsagar has already reached over 514.41 metres. The maximum holding FTL capacity is about 514.75 metres. About 1,000 families in Ambedkar Nagar, Sabarmati Nagar, Arundathi Nagar, Subash Chandra Bose Nagar, parts of Domalguda, Bapuji Nagar, parts of Himayathsagar Nagar, Daata Nagar, Sriram Nagar, Satya Nagar, Ratna Nagar, Shivananda Nagar and Ganga Nagar would be evacuated if rain continues in the catchment areas of Balkapur Channel, Picket Nala and Kukatpally nala from where water directly flows into the Hussainsagar.
The present discharge from the Sagar is about 5,160 cusecs. The maximum of 10,451 cuses was witnessed during August 2000 flash floods. Relief camps are being set up at various places for evacuated people. Singh said the GHMC, revenue and other departments are monitoring the condition of the Hussainsagar.
People living downstream of the nala should be on the alert, he said.
Greater Hyderabad received 520 MM rainfall in the last 30 days. The rain has been quite heavy in the last six days with 35 MM recorded Friday
and the day before. Naveen Mittal said the district administration has identified the families to be moved to relief camps in case of heavy rain in the next 24 hours.
HMWS&SB MD Krishna Babu said no gates of Osmansagar, Himayathsagar, Singur or Manjira were lifted since they are not even 50 per cent full.
–Agencies–