Four killed in rain-related incidents in state

Four people have died in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, bringing the total deaths to 101 since June 1. Flash floods and structure collapses have caused damage and displacement of families across multiple districts in the state.

Mumbai: Four people have died in rain-related incidents across the state in the last 24 hours, taking the total deaths to 101 since June 1.

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One person was killed in Kolhapur due to a structure collapse, while another three died due to flash floods in Yavatmal, Nagpur and Sindhudurg.

A total of 872 families were shifted to safer places in seven districts of state, including 119 in Gadchiroli, 45 in Thane, 12 in Yavatmal, 16 in Mumbai Suburban, seven in Nagpur, 60 in Chandrapur 60 and 613 in Ratnagiri. In Yavatmal alone 254 houses were damaged.

In Konkan, two out of nine main rivers were flowing above alert level and others close to alert level. Kundalika river in Raigad and Jagbudi river in Ratnagiri were flowing above the alert level. Panchganga river in Kolhapur was flowing above the alert level at Rajaram Bandhara.

Heavy downpour once again led to flooding in more than a dozen localities in Chandrapur. While 24 people trapped in the flood were rescued from different flooded localities, a person was washed away with his car on the overflowing nullah at Pombhurna in the district.

The car along with its driver was washed away in Berdi nullah on Pombhurna-Aksapur road. The car was later recovered one km away downstream in the nullah, but the driver Amit Gedam, who is a supply assistant with Pombhurna tehsil office, is missing.

Rise in the water level of Wardha and Irai rivers, along with all the nullahs has blocked nearly 20 roads across the district. Three gates of the Irai dam were opened by 0.5 metre due to rise in water level in the reservoir. Flood alerts have been sounded in the areas of the city as well as villages along the riverbanks.

In Chandrapur, 312 people have taken shelter in the rescue centres of municipal corporation following flooding in the city, said Ravindra Singh Pardeshi, superintendent of police, Chandrapur.

The major roads including Hyderabad highway at Ballarpur-Rajura bridge, Gadchandur-Bhoyegaon road, Sasti-Ballarpur road, Virur Station- Lathi road along with over a dozen roads are closed due to overflowing rivers and nullahs.

As many as 950 people have been safely shifted from low-lying areas Idgah Road, Kakubai Chawl, Ambika Nagar, Ward number 3 of Bhiwandi. Civic officials said that a total of 291 families with a total of 950 members have been safely shifted from the low-lying areas to safer places.

The civic officials said many low-lying areas such as Mhada colony, Chavindra, Avliya Masjid, Kalyan Naka, Kamala Hotel, Kahdipar, Karivli, Azminagar, Teen Batti (main vegetable market), Handi Compound, Saibaba temple near bypass reported waterlogging up to five to six feet.

Milind Palsule, PRO, Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation said, “Due to heavy rainfall, three to four feet water had entered the homes in identified low-lying areas. We have shifted many families to corporation-run schools in Bhiwandi and most of the families shifted their relatives’ homes.”