How Hyderabad fought floods long before 1908 disaster

Hyderabad has faced floods for over 450 years, starting in 1572. Major floods in 1631, 1831, and especially 1908 caused massive damage. After 1908, the Nizam took steps to prevent floods by relocating houses away from the Musi River

Hyderabad: Even as Hyderabad is grappling with flooding once again, the city’s history with deluges stretches back to over four and a half centuries. Since the building of Hyderabad city in about 1592 AD, the city saw even larger floods till the devastating floods in Musi River on September 28, 1908.

Prior to construction of the city, the first flood in Hyderabad for which there was any record occurred in 1572 AD. This flood led to construction of Purana Pul, which was then referred to as ‘Old Bridge’.

Much before 1908 floods, the city witnessed a great flood in 1631, leading to overtopping of the Old Bridge and several populous areas of the new city were swept away by the water currents. This flooding, the Hyderabadis regarded, as the worst inundation on record.

The flooding in the city continued, with another occurrence in 1831 AD, which was severe, leading to a great loss of life. During this flooding, the Chaderghat bridge, which was then under construction, got severely damaged.

All these details had been documented in a report by Sir M Visesvaraya, Diwan of Mysore, who played a pivotal role in containing the flooding in Musi River after 1908 devastation. He was consulted by the then Nizam government to look into causes of floods in the river, besides prevention in future.

The report, which has been preserved by the Telangana State Archives and Research Institute, documented a moderate intensity flooding in 1903, just five years before the great devastation in 1908.

This led to destruction of over 1,400 hours in areas – Ekbal Gang, Karwan, Chilla, Kolsawadi, Akbar Jah Bazaar and Oosman Shali on the Chaderghat side. Houses in Saheb Ganj, Yadgar Hussain Khan Koonta, Mahbub Shahi, Petla Burj, Char Mahal, Ghasimeah Bazaar, and Amin Bagh on the side of the Old City were also destroyed.

Following the massive destruction along the Musi River, the then Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan directed officials that rebuilding of houses near the river be discouraged. The Nizam directed that house owners be given lands for buildings at a safe distance from the river.