Hyderabad saw heavy rainfall over the past two days, offering relief from heat but triggering waterlogging, traffic jams, and infrastructure damage, severely disrupting normal life on 26 and 27 May
Published May 28, 2025 | 5:40 PM ⚊ Updated May 28, 2025 | 8:00 PM
Monsoon hits Telangana early: Orange alert issued for Hyderabad
Synopsis: The Southwest Monsoon arrived in Telangana 10 days early, bringing heavy rainfall and relief from heat. The IMD issued orange alerts across districts, warning of thunderstorms, flooding, traffic snarls, and crop damage
The Southwest Monsoon has made an early entry into Telangana, arriving 10 days ahead of schedule and bringing heavy rainfall to Hyderabad and other parts of the state.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for several districts, warning of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms that could disrupt daily life over the next few days. The early monsoon has brought both relief from soaring temperatures and challenges, including waterlogging, traffic disruptions, and significant crop damage across multiple districts.
The IMD announced that the Southwest Monsoon has advanced into most parts of Telangana, including Hyderabad, Mahbubnagar, Gadwal, Wanaparthy, and Narayanpet, approximately 10 days earlier than the typical onset date for the region. This early arrival is attributed to two atmospheric troughs: one extending from West Vidarbha to North Kerala and another from East Uttar Pradesh to North Odisha, driving increased rainfall activity across the state.
On 28 May, 2025, Hyderabad and Telangana experienced cloudy skies and humid conditions. The air quality in Hyderabad deteriorated to unhealthy levels for sensitive groups, prompting the IMD to advise reducing outdoor activities for those experiencing symptoms such as difficulty breathing or throat irritation.
The IMD has issued the orange alert for heavy rainfall on 29 May in districts including Adilabad, Nirmal, Mancherial, Nizamabad, and Sangareddy. Hyderabad is expected to experience full monsoon conditions within the next two to three days.
May 29–30: Light to moderate rainfall is expected across many parts of Telangana, with an increase in intensity. Hyderabad is likely to see spells of moderate to isolated heavy rain, accompanied by gusty thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. Maximum temperatures will range between 36°C and 40°C (97°F–104°F), with heatwave conditions possible in some areas.
May 31–June 1: The monsoon is expected to strengthen, bringing continued light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms across Telangana. Hyderabad may experience cloudy skies with occasional heavy showers, particularly in the evening hours.
Over the past two days, Hyderabad has witnessed widespread rainfall, with sharp showers providing a refreshing respite from high temperatures but also causing significant disruptions. On Monday and Tuesday, 26 and 27 May, heavy rainfall led to water logging, traffic congestion, and damage to infrastructure, impacting normal life in the city.
On Tuesday, 27 May, intense rainfall was recorded in several areas of Hyderabad, with Santosh Nagar receiving 98.8 mm, Saidabad 92.3 mm, Malakpet 91.8 mm, and Saroornagar 90.5 mm. On Wednesday, 28 May, Ramachandrapuram recorded 81.5 mm of rainfall, with widespread showers affecting western, central, and southern parts of the city. Water logging in low-lying areas like Attapur, Malakpet, and Musarambagh brought traffic to a crawl, with reports of vehicles struggling through inundated roads.
Across Telangana, heavy rains lashed districts including Jangaon, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Warangal, and Khammam. Palakurthy in Jangaon recorded the highest rainfall at 136.5 mm on 27 May. The heavy downpours caused streams and rivulets to overflow, disrupting transportation to several villages. Power supply interruptions were reported in multiple areas, adding to the inconvenience faced by residents.
The early monsoon, while providing a relief from the scorching summer heat, however, has caused significant damage to crops in districts including Mahbubnagar, Rangareddy, Nizaabad and Nalgonda. Reports indicate that standing crops, particularly paddy, maize, and horticultural crops, have been adversely affected. The farmers and officials were caught off guard due to the sudden onset of heavy rains, as no one anticipated the monsoon will be arriving so early. Paddy lying at procurement centres was reportedly damaged.
Farmers are worried over the IMD’s prediction of more rainfall in the coming days, which could exacerbate crop losses, especially in low-lying areas prone to flooding. The state government has been urged to intervene to mitigate the damage, with farmers seeking immediate relief measures.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy held a review meeting on Tuesday, 27 May, directing officials to accord priority to relief and rescue operations. Special attention has been given to monitoring low-lying areas for flooding risks, with emergency response teams being kept on standby mode to address potential crises. The state government is preparing to conduct a survey to assess the extent of crop damage.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
