136 dead in rain-related incidents in the state: Maharashtra minister

As many as 136 people have died in rain-related incidents, including multiple landslides, in Maharashtra over the last two days, while 84,452 people under the Pune division were evacuated to safer places on Friday as heavy showers continued to wreak havoc in the state, officials said. Meanwhile, a total of 44 bodies were retrieved from the debris till now from two locations in Raigad and Sangli districts.

Mumbai (Maharashtra): As many as 136 people have died in rain-related incidents, including multiple landslides, in Maharashtra over the last two days, while 84,452 people under the Pune division were shifted to safer places on Friday as heavy showers continued to wreak havoc in the state, officials said. "136 accidental deaths reported in Maharashtra till last evening due to rain and other monsoon-related incidents," Maharashtra Minister of Relief & Rehabilitation, Vijay Wadettiwar said.

Meanwhile, a total of 44 bodies were retrieved from the debris till now from two locations in Raigad and Sangli districts. Total 6 locations experienced landslides in Raigad district, the Raigad District Collector, Nidhi Chaudhary said, adding that the rescue operation still continues. According to officials and staff present at the spot, around 50 more people are feared trapped under the debris, the official added.

Read:Maharashtra: 36 dead in Raigad landslide, 47 villages cut off due to floods

Maharashtra CM to visit flood affected Mahad

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday will visit the flood-affected Mahad by helicopter from Mumbai at 12 pm. He will also visit the flood-hit Taliye village during his visit, the Public Relations Room (Chief Minister's Secretariat) informed. Thackeray on Friday had announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for the kin of those who lost their lives in the landslides caused by torrential rainfall in various parts of the state. According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the state will also incur the costs of treatment for those injured. "NDRF and other rescue teams are facing problems reaching to the flood-affected areas in Chiplun as the roads and bridges are damaged. The situation remains tense", said the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister was also informed about the flood situation in Mahad by the Raigad District Collector. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra had also announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.

On the other hand, 11 people, including 8 Nepalese workers, were also rescued in the nick of time before the bus in which they were traveling was swept away in a flooded river in Western Maharashtra's Kolhapur district on early Friday morning, police said. The incident took place around 2.30 am at Pangire village in Bhudargad tehsil. A case was registered against the driver of the private bus, Ajit Pardeshi (39), for reckless driving, the police said, adding that he was detained and booked under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) driving on the flooded bridge.

Read:Panchganga river swelling due to heavy rains in Kolhapur, NDRF teams on high alert

Besides landslides, several people were swept away in floodwaters. Other fatalities included those reported from eastern districts such as Gondia and Chandrapur, he said. The landslide in Raigad district took place near Talai village in Mahad tehsil on Thursday evening. NDRF teams and local officials were engaged in rescue work in Mahad. Landslides also hit Ambeghar and Mirgaon villages in Satara's Patan tehsil during Thursday night, burying a total of eight houses, said Ajay Kumar Bansal, Superintendent of Police, Satara rural. Besides, 10 persons were also feared trapped after a landslide in the coastal Ratnagiri district.

In another incident in the wee hours of Friday, a Ratnagiri-bound bus of the Karnataka government's transport service got stranded in water on Kolhapur-Panhala road. As many as 25 passengers were safely evacuated, the police said. As many as 84,452 people, including over 40,000 in Kolhapur district, were shifted to safer places in Western Maharashtra's Pune division as rains battered the region and rivers were in spate, officials said. The Panchganga river near the Kolhapur city was flowing at a level higher than that witnessed during the peak of floods in 2019, officials said. Besides Pune and Kolhapur, the division also includes the districts of Sangli and Satara. Satara is hit hard, especially by heavy rains and landslides. Rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force and other agencies shifted people to safer locations by Friday evening, the officials said.

Read:Horrific view of the floods in Chiplun in Ratnagiri district

In neighboring Sangli district, over 36,000 people from 7,000 families have been shifted to safer places, the officials said. The Maharashtra government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5,00,000 each to the kin of people who have died in the landslides triggered by heavy rains in different parts of the state. A statement from the Chief Minister's Office in Mumbai said, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who announced the financial assistance, also expressed grief over the loss of lives. The statement said landslides have been reported in ten places spread across Raigad, Ratnagiri and Satara districts. The injured will be treated in hospitals at government expense, the statement said, without disclosing their figure.

Heavy rains since the last two days have caused massive floods in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Palghar, Thane, Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts. No immediate relief appears in sight as the India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for six districts which have been already pounded by downpour, forecasting 'extremely heavy' rainfall and recommending preventive actions. An alert was also issued for the districts of Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg in coastal Konkan and also for Pune, Satara and Kolhapur in Western Maharashtra.

Read: Maha:129 dead in rain-related incidents in 48 hours

Earlier in the day, Thackeray visited the disaster management authority control room in Mantralaya (state secretariat) in south Mumbai and took stock of the situation arising out of downpour and flooding in Konkan and western Maharashtra. Thackeray said people residing in hilly and landslide-prone areas of the rain-ravaged Konkan region are being evacuated and expressed grief over the loss of lives in landslides, according to the CMO statement. He appealed to people to cooperate with the local administration in the evacuation process in vulnerable areas in the coastal region. Thackeray asked people to be alert in the backdrop of the IMD forecasting heavy rains in the next two days in several parts of the state. He said the local administration should work in coordination for smooth relief and rescue operations in the rain-devastated areas.

Due to discharge of water from the Koyna dam in western Maharashtra, an alert has been sounded in Sangli and Kolhapur districts. The chief minister asked the authorities to ensure distribution of food, water, medicines and clothes to the people displaced by floods and heavy rains, the statement said. He said the flood-affected districts of western Maharashtra top the list of coronavirus cases and rescue operations there should be done by adhering to COVID-19 protocols, especially use of face masks. As many as 14 NDRF teams have been deployed in the affected areas, the chief minister said, adding that 500 people have been rescued in Chiplun in Ratnagiri district and four relief centres have been made operational in the coastal town, around 250km from Mumbai.

Read:Heavy rains wreak havoc in Maharashtra, 65 killed

Raigad and Satara districts bore the maximum brunt

Raigad district collector Nidhi Choudhary earlier said the landslide near Talai village was reported late Thursday evening. "But since the roads leading to the spot were blocked due to the floods and the sludge, the rescue teams found it difficult to reach the site," she said. "The operation resumed today morning and the bodies were recovered by afternoon," she added.

According to officials, there are around 30 houses in the village, which were completely damaged due to the incident. Aditi Tatkare, Gaurdian Minister of Raigad, and BJP leader Pravin Darekar visited the village. In the 24 hours ended at 8.30 am on Friday, 165 mm average rainfall was recorded in Raigad district. Rivers like Pundlika, Aamba and Savitri were flowing above the danger mark. The Raigad collector said residents of Mahad and Poladpur, among the worst-hit areas, need water bottles, dry eatables, milk powder, bedsheets and clothes.

Read:Bus driver crosses an overflowing bridge with a bus full of passengers

Chief Minister Thackeray expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Raigad landslide and spoke to the collector about the flood situation on Mahad, the CMO release said. Rescue teams have begun evacuating stranded people using helicopters, the release said. Thackeray directed the district administration to expedite rescue operations and clearing of roads.

As much as 480 mm rainfall was recorded in Mahabaleshwar, a popular hill station in Satara district in the last 24 hours ended at 8.30 am on Friday, they said. Meanwhile, a team of the Thane Disaster Relief Force (TDRF) has been dispatched to Mahad taluka in Raigad district to help in rescue and relief operations in rain-affected villages, a civic official said. Thane Guardian Minister and state Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde and Thane mayor Naresh Mhaske have left for Mahad to oversee relief operations in affected villages.

Read:6 family members die of asphyxiation in Maharashtra

NDRF, Indian Army and Navy personnel to join rescue work

As many as 54 villages were affected due to the floods while 821 were partially affected, officials said, adding that as many as 40,882 persons have been shifted from flood-affected areas in Kolhapur district alone. Five people - two in Radhanagari, two in Chandgad and one in Kagal tehsil - died in rain-related incidents in Kolhapur district, officials said. At least 39 roads, including 10 state highways, are closed for traffic due to the floods in Kolhapur district.

The Indian Army has mobilized its teams to assist the local administration in flood-affected areas, it said on Friday. A total of 15 relief and rescue teams comprising troops from the Aundh Military Station and Bombay Engineer Group based at Pune have been deployed in affected areas, a Defense release said. The Army has launched 'Operation Varsha 21' for flood relief and rescue work in the state, it said.

Read:Maha: Two persons rescued by IAF choppers in flood-hit Ratnagiri

"With the unprecedented rains and resultant heavy flow of water in various rivers, a number of areas in many states are likely to be impacted by floods. Presently the districts of Ratnagiri, Raigad, Pune, Satara, Kolhapur and Sangli in Maharashtra have been affected. These columns will be assisting the civil administration in the rescue of local population stranded in submerged areas till normalcy is restored," it said.

Lt Gen JS Nain, GOC-In-C Southern Command, stated that the "Indian Army stands with people in these testing times and all assistance will be provided by the Army in the affected areas."

(with agency inputs)