Gale Force Winds Batter Telangana

Hyderabad and its neighbouring districts were hit by severe weather on Sunday, resulting in extensive damage to power infrastructure. The city experienced temperatures nearing 43°C in the afternoon, followed by a brief yet intense spell of rain accompanied by gale-force winds in the evening.

The storm led to significant power outages across Greater Hyderabad and extended to Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Jogulamba-Gadwal, Wanaparthy, Yadadri-Bhongir, Sangareddy, Vikarabad, Nalgonda, and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. The inclement weather wreaked havoc on the power grid, causing snapped transmission lines, fallen tree branches on cables, damaged poles, transformers, and fuse boxes. Additionally, banners and other debris became entangled in the power lines, further complicating the restoration efforts. Within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, LB Nagar recorded the highest rainfall at 10.3 mm, followed by Hayatnagar at 8.3 mm, Chandanagar at 8 mm, Saroornagar and Ramachandrapuram at 7.5 mm each, Uppal at 6.8 mm, and Serilingampally at 5.8 mm. The Hayatnagar circle registered the highest cumulative average rainfall at 8.3 mm, with Ramachandrapuram at 4.6 mm, Uppal at 4.3 mm, LB Nagar at 4.1 mm, and Chandanagar at 4 mm.

The storm’s impact extended beyond Hyderabad, with several districts recording substantial rainfall despite the soaring temperatures, which peaked at 46.5°C in some areas. Nagarkurnool experienced the highest rainfall at 37.8 mm, followed by Nalgonda at 35.8 mm, Wanaparthy at 34.8 mm, and Mahabubnagar at 33.3 mm. Narayanpet and Yadadri Bhongir also saw significant rainfall at 31.5 mm and 23.3 mm respectively. In terms of cumulative average rainfall, Narayanpet led with 8.9 mm, while Hyderabad district registered a modest 0.4 mm.

The 30-minute storm caused considerable disruption, prompting the Enforcement Vigilance and Disaster Management (EV&DM) department to receive 48 complaints about fallen trees and five concerning catch pits. Numerous areas reported power outages, underscoring the storm’s severity and the ensuing challenges for the state’s power infrastructure. As restoration efforts continue, the storm serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in Telangana’s power grid and the need for robust disaster preparedness and response mechanisms.  “When the weather turned windy, the power went off instantly, leaving us in darkness almost till 8 pm. Only after Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL) visited our apartment was the power restored,” said Mamta Kolawar, a primary school teacher from Uppal.