HYDERABAD: “As it is raining heavily since yesterday, we are enduring sleepless nights as Musi is rising at an alarming level. If more floodgates are lifted, there is a possibility of the area getting submerged and we will be on the roads,” said Ahmed Pasha, who resides near the causeway bridge at Chaderghat. Pasha’s fears are being echoed by many residents along the banks of Musi near Chaderghat, Moosarambagh and Attapur causeway bridges, where the water level has risen rapidly.
After the two major reservoirs received heavy inflows from catchment areas lying upstream, the Water Board opened 10 flood gates of Himayatsagar (7,700 cusecs outflows) and six flood gates of Osmansagar (2,100 cusecs outflow), thus letting excess water to flow into Musi, which flows through the city. Aleem Khan, another resident from the areas that would be affected, said, “We request the Water Board not to open all the flood gates of both reservoirs, otherwise it would lead to a catastrophe.
Our houses will get inundated and we will lose everything.” The GHMC, Revenue Department and the police are monitoring the situation closely. If water levels rise further, all residents living on the banks of Musi would be evacuated and shifted to nearby community halls and function halls, as per the Water Board’s instructions.
Coincidently, September 28 marks exactly 113 years since the overflowing Musi river had caused devastating floods and massive destruction in 1908. Nearly 15,000 people reportedly died from the calamity, while 19,000 homes were destroyed and 75,000 were rendered homeless.