BEST sends rescue team to Mahad

Following the directives of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has sent a team to rescue people in flood-affected Mahad

Following the directives of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has sent a team to rescue people in flood-affected Mahad.

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The team, comprising seven members, a towing vehicle equipped with medicines, inflated tyres and spare materials, left for Mahad from Vadala bus depot at 11am on Sunday and reached Mahad at 7.30pm.

The team will work alongside the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Mahad collector to rescue people.

“The squad team is equipped with special skills and trained in rescuing people. Continuous communication is being done between staff and the disaster management department,” said a senior BEST official.

As the state witnessed torrential rains last week, floods were reported in different areas across the state. The flood-affected districts include Thane, Sangli, Kolhapur, Satara, Pune, Ratnagiri and Raigad.

Meanwhile, Mumbai guardian minister Aaditya Thackeray held a meeting with BMC, Mhada and the collector on Monday and directed Mhada to construct retaining walls wherever necessary to avoid loss of life due to landslides. The collector’s office has been asked to release the required funds.

A Vikramgadh-based educational and social welfare outfit rushed five truckloads of dry rations, medicines, blankets to Chiplun in Ratnagiri district which has been affected by flooding.

Earlier, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) also sent 100 officials and workers to flood-affected Mahad-Poladpur region.

Nearly 90,000 people have been evacuated from seven districts in the relief and rescue operations started by the Maharashtra government. The government also has roped in the Indian Army and Navy to assist in ongoing rescue operations in flood-hit areas.

Inputs from Ram Parmar