Mumbai: Heavy and incessant rains wreaked havoc in Maharashtra's Pune, where at least four persons died in rain-related incidents on Thursday, while several houses and residential societies in low-lying areas in the city were inundated, following which people are being evacuated, officials said.
By Thursday noon, about 400 people were evacuated to safety following flooding in Sinhagad Road and some other areas along the riverbank in Pune city due to incessant rains. Two columns of the Army were deployed in Sinhagad Road area which was severely affected by flooding, officials said. Besides, teams of the NDRF, fire brigade as well as the district and city disaster management cells were pressed into service to carry out relief operations.
Water entered several housing societies and houses in low-lying areas along the Sinhagad Road. Cars and two-wheelers stood in the water. "So far 400 people from the Sinhagad Road area have been shifted to safety," said Suhas Diwase, District Collector, Pune.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the Pune district for another 48 hours, and as heavy rains are expected to continue later in the day in the catchment areas of Khadakwasla and other upstream dams, more water was likely to be released from Khadakwasla reservoir (increasing the water level in the Mutha river that flows through the city), the collector said.
Schools and colleges in most parts of the district have declared a holiday in view of the heavy rainfall warning. Pune city and other parts of the district, including Velha, Mulshi, Bhor talukas and the catchment areas of several dams, including Khadakwasla, have been witnessing incessant rains since Wednesday night.
In the city, housing societies in the low-lying areas, such as Sinhagad Road, Bavdhan, Baner and Deccan Gymkhana, witnessed flooding and inundation and efforts have been launched by the fire brigade and disaster management cell of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to evacuate the stranded people, the officials said.
The district collector said that in the wake of heavy rains in the Khadakwasla dam's catchment area, water has been released from the reservoir. "As the catchment areas of Khadakwasla dam have been witnessing incessant rains, water is being released at over 35,000 cusecs and it will further increase to 45,000 cusecs. Due to the water discharge, several low-lying areas along the Mutha River witnessed inundation and flooding," he said.
Four Killed In Rain-related Incidents
Four persons lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Pune, officials said. Three men died of electrocution in the Deccan area of the city while trying to move their handcart, on which they used to sell egg dishes, which got submerged due to heavy rains, one person died and another one sustained injuries in a landslide in Tahmini ghat section in Mulshi tehsil, district officials said.
"One person died while another sustained injuries after a landslide on a small eatery in Tahmini ghat in Mulshi tehsil," inspector Manoj Yadav of Paud police station said. The district administration and local police are engaged in the task of removing the debris from the road, he said adding that after removing it the road will be open for vehicular movement.
In another incident, three people are feared trapped in a bungalow in Lavasa area after mudslide, police said. Considering heavy rainfall in the 'ghat' (mountain pass) sections of Khed, Junnar, Ambegaon, Velha, Mulshi, Maval, Bhor, Haveli talukas and Pimpri Chinchwad as well as the Pune city area, a holiday has been for schools.
"As a precautionary measure, the disaster management cells and teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed at the low-lying areas, where flooding and inundation is anticipated," he said. Diwase appealed to step out of homes unless it is very important.
The IMD has given a red alert for Pune district for the next 24 hours, he said.
Pune's Shivajinagar records 3rd highest 24-hour rainfall in July in 66 years
Shivajinagar in Pune city received 114 mm of rainfall in 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Thursday, the third-highest in a single day in 66 years, according to the India Meteorological Department. At 130.4 mm, the highest 24-hour July rainfall in Shivajinagar in central Pune was recorded on July 19, 1958, followed by 117.9 mm on July 27, 1967, they said. Citing data from the Shivajinagar weather station, officials said the area received 114 mm of rain between 8.30 am on Wednesday and 8.30 am on Thursday.
Maharashtra Govt asks Karnataka To Release More Water From Almatti Dam To Avoid Flooding
In view of heavy rainfall in parts of western Maharashtra, the state government has urged Karnataka to release more water from Almatti Dam to avoid flooding in Sangli and Kolhapur districts, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Thursday. Almatti Dam, officially known as Lal Bahadur Shastri Aam, is a hydroelectric project on the Krishna River in north Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters, he said, "The Maharashtra government has asked Karnataka to increase the water discharge from Almatti dam to three lakh cusec from the current outflow of 2.5 lakh cusec." The water storage of Koyna dam in Maharashtra's Satara district increased by six thousand million cubic feet (TMC) in a very short period, and it is already 75 per cent filled, he said.
Mumbai Rains: 11 Flights Cancelled, 10 Diverted
As many as 11 flights were cancelled and ten diverted to nearby airports from here on Thursday as heavy rains continued to lash Mumbai.
Runway operations at the Mumbai airport had to be halted twice as the visibility dropped to 300 meters, even as airlines issued advisories to passengers to arrive early at the airport in view of traffic congestion and water-logging in parts of the metropolis.
During the day, a total of 11 arrivals and departures were cancelled with IndiGo cancelling ten services, including five arrivals, and Air India cancelling one departure from Mumbai.
Besides, ten flights were diverted initially to nearby airports such as Ahmedabad, Surat, Hyderabad, Indore and MOPA airport in Goa
Monsoon Fury In Several Parts Of India
Monsoon fury has engulfed several parts of India with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red alert for Maharashtra and Gujarat for the next few days.
The IMD has predicted "extremely heavy rainfall" for Gujarat and Maharashtra today. Intense rains are likely to batter Maharashtra till Friday and Gujarat for the next three days.
Heavy rains have been lashing parts of Mumbai and Pune throughout Wednesday night. Visuals from Vile Parle and the Western Express Highway show commuters making their way through the downpours.
A red alert has also been issued warning of very heavy rainfall (115.6 to 204.4 mm) from July 25 to July 27 in Maharashtra. An orange alert was issued for Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts in Maharashtra's Konkan region.
The Brihan Mumbai Metropolitan Council (BMC) said that on Thursday and Friday, there would be moderate to heavy rain in the city and suburbs with the possibility of very heavy rainfall at isolated places. Occasional gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph are very likely.
High Tide is expected at 2:51 PM today and Mumbai city and suburbs are also likely to experience moderate to heavy rains at some places.
Holiday Declared For Schools, Colleges In Raigad, Palghar Districts
A holiday has been declared for schools, colleges and other educational institutes in Raigad district of Maharashtra on Thursday in the wake of heavy rainfall, officials said. A similar order has been issued for Wada and Vikramgad talukas in Palghar district. Both these districts lie in the coastal region of Maharashtra.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for Raigad district for Wednesday, which continued on Thursday and predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall. Given the red alert, Raigad collector Kishan Jawale announced a holiday for all government and private schools, training institutes and colleges. The district has been receiving heavy showers over the past few days, which resulted in several rivers, including Kundalika, Amba and Savitri, flowing above the danger mark, which has led to disruption in communication networks, officials said.
Youth Dies In Wall Collapse During Overnight Rains in Karnataka
A 17-year-old boy died when a wall of his house collapsed in Karnataka's Mangaluru, police said on Thursday. The incident occurred in Jokatte on Wednesday night. The victim is identified as Shailesh, a resident of Lingappayya Kadu in Kolnad village in Mulki town. According to the police, the wall collapsed as a result of heavy rains. The youth was declared 'brought dead' at the hospital.
Grim Situation in Gujarat
Gujarat faces a grim situation as the state reels under severe flooding, which has already claimed eight lives on July 24, pushing the rain-related death toll to 61. In response, National and State Disaster Response Forces (NDRF and SDRF) have been mobilized to manage the crisis.
The IMD has forecasted "extremely heavy rainfall" for Gujarat and Maharashtra today, with Maharashtra expecting intense rainfall till tomorrow and Gujarat bracing for it over the next three days.
Rains Predicted in Northwest India
Northwest India, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan are predicted to experience heavy rainfall until July 28. Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh are also expected to receive significant rainfall, with Punjab and Haryana on alert for July 25 and Uttar Pradesh for the next couple of days.
In south peninsular India, Karnataka is set for very heavy rainfall on July 25. Telangana is in for heavy showers on Thursday, while Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka can expect similar conditions until July 26. Kerala will face heavy rainfall till July 27.
Eastern and northeastern states are not spared either. Odisha is on alert for very heavy rainfall till July 26, with isolated heavy showers continuing on July 27 and 28. The northeastern region, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, West Bengal, and Sikkim, is forecasted to receive isolated heavy rainfall on July 27 and 28.
Rain Lashes Parts Of Delhi, More Showers Expected
Rain lashed parts of Delhi on Thursday morning and the minimum temperature settled at 26.2 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the season. The Safdarjung Observatory, the national capital's primary weather station, recorded 10.1 mm rainfall from 5.30 am to 8.30 am on Thursday. According to the weather department, more showers are likely during the day while the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 34 degrees Celsius.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the city till Thursday amid a forecast that rains will continue to lash the capital till July 28. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in the "moderate" category with a reading of 117 at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. (With agency inputs)
