Rain pounds Hyderabad, 7 dead

Suresh Dharur

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, August 31

At least seven persons were killed in two incidents of wall collapse as heavy rain lashed Hyderabad and its surrounding areas today.

Four of a family were killed at Ramanthapur in the Uppal area following a wall collapse, while three members of another family (woman and her two girls) died in a building collapse at Bholakpur in Musheerabad.

Victims at Bholapur were identified as Bilkis Begum (25), her two daughters Zeba (5) and Mariya (2), while those killed at Ramanthapur were Balaswamy, Chinnamma, Parvathy and Shekar. Another building collapsed at Lal Darwaja in Old City, but no one was injured.

Normal life was thrown out of gear as incessant rain battered the city. House collapses, water-logging of roads, and inundation of slums were reported from different parts of the city. 

Massive traffic congestions were reported from various parts of the city and several vehicles were stuck in knee-deep water. Office-goers had a tough time commuting to their workplaces with several roads overflowing, while many localities in low-lying areas also got inundated.

Commissioner of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) B Janardhan Reddy instructed officials to make arrangements to evacuate people staying in dilapidated buildings.