Cyclone Montha Batters Telangana: Hyderabad Faces Gridlock, Heavy Rains Bring City to a Standstill

Cyclone Montha continued to lash Telangana with relentless rain on Wednesday, throwing life out of gear across Hyderabad and several other districts. Since early morning, continuous showers have drenched vast parts of the city — from Dilsukhnagar, Karmanghat, Champapet, and Saroornagar to Chaitanyapuri, Kothapet, Nagole, Jillelaguda, Meerpet, Badangpet, and Balapur — leaving commuters stranded and major roads submerged.

Heavy rainfall coupled with gusty winds caused severe congestion throughout Hyderabad’s IT corridor and major traffic junctions. Vehicles crawled along key stretches such as LB Nagar, Uppal, Abids, Secunderabad, Punjagutta, Khairatabad, Kukatpally, Jubilee Hills, and Gachibowli. For many officegoers, the morning commute turned into a three-hour ordeal, with several reaching workplaces two hours behind schedule.

Also Read: Cyclone Montha impact: Heavy rain lashes Telangana

Public transport systems also buckled under the pressure. Hyderabad Metro stations witnessed an overwhelming rush as thousands turned to the trains to escape waterlogged roads. By 7 a.m., stations at MGBS, Secunderabad, Begumpet, Nampally, and Hi-Tech City were packed with stranded passengers, and the crowds persisted well past 11 a.m.

Meanwhile, municipal teams from the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) swung into action, deploying emergency staff to clear drains, manage waterlogging, and restore normalcy.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that Cyclone Montha — which made landfall near Kakinada — was responsible for the intense downpour across Telangana. The IMD placed the districts of Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Mahabubabad, and Peddapalli under a red alert, warning of “heavy to very heavy” rainfall and potential flash floods.

Other regions, including Adilabad, Jangaon, Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Kumram Bheem, and Mancherial, remain on high alert, with officials closely monitoring river levels and local water bodies. A yellow alert has been issued for 21 additional districts, including Siddipet and Suryapet, where isolated heavy rainfall is expected.

According to the Telangana Development Planning Society, Sangareddy district recorded the highest rainfall, with Choutuppal receiving 60.5 mm, followed by Manchal (59.2 mm) and Sangareddy town (53.8 mm). Other significant readings include Kandi (48 mm), Sadasivpet (36.2 mm), Kondapur (34.2 mm), Regode (32.4 mm), Naykal (32.4 mm), Chennur (31.2 mm), and Jogipet (31 mm).

District-wise, rainfall was recorded as follows: Kumram Bheem – 8 mm, Nalgonda – 15 mm, Rangareddy – 13.2 mm, Sangareddy – 20.7 mm, and Yadadri Bhongir – 10.5 mm.

With the cyclonic system expected to persist for another 24 hours, authorities have urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and stay indoors as much as possible. Emergency teams remain on standby across the city to respond to any distress calls as the state braces for continued rainfall and potential flooding.