Hyderabad on high alert as twin-reservoirs near flood level

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has issued an urgent flood alert. They warn that the gates of Himayathsagar and Osmansagar reservoirs might open soon because of heavy monsoon inflows. Authorities have been directed to activate flood response protocols and alert communities along the Musi River to prevent potential damage to life and property.

Reservoirs at critical levels

As of 1 PM today, Himayathsagar’s water level stood at 1,762.45 feet, just 1.05 feet below its Full Tank Level (FTL) of 1,763.50 feet. The reservoir is receiving 500 cusecs of inflow, with current storage at 2.687 TMC against its total capacity of 2.968 TMC.

Osmansagar, though slightly below its FTL of 1,790 feet, is at 1,782.80 feet with 50 cusecs of inflow. Its current storage is 2.474 TMC out of a total 3.90 TMC capacity.

Flood Preparedness

The HMWSSB has alerted the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), disaster response teams, and local authorities to use Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for managing floods.

Further HMWSSB suggests several key measures include alerting communities downstream along the Musi River.  And take all necessary precautions to protect life and property. Further, it also suggested to remain on high alert and monitor communications for further updates. Monitoring real-time weather updates and reservoir inflows is crucial too. Lastly, the flood alert notice is issued to ensure timely preparedness for a potential gate opening.