Maharashtra rains: PM Modi assures of full support to CM Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray asked the authorities in flood-affected districts to remain vigilant and continue with the rescue operations on a war footing

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday he spoke to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to take stock of the prevailing situation in the western state from heavy rain-induced flooding, and assured of full support.

A woman being evacuated in Maharashtra's Chiplun due to heavy rains. (HT Photo)

“Spoke to Maharashtra CM Shri Uddhav Thackeray and discussed the situation in parts of Maharashtra in the wake of heavy rainfall and flooding. Assured all possible support from the Centre to mitigate the situation. Praying for everyone’s safety and well-being,” PM Modi said in a tweet.

Several parts of Maharashtra faced flooding due to incessant rains. The heavy rainfall also affected the road and rail traffic in several parts of the state including the financial hub Mumbai. At least 6,000 passengers were stranded as train services on the Konkan Railway route were hit after a river overflowed in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district.

Two people died following a landslide near Parshuram ghat in Ratnagiri earlier in the day. The state government was engaged in evacuating residents from Khed, Chiplun, Lanja, Rajapur, Sangameshwar towns and nearby areas that were adversely affected due to the rains.

Two people were reportedly swept away in Wardha due to heavy rains that lashed the district for over 40 hours and inundated at least 20 villages in Samudrapur tehsil. Another district, Osmanabad, also received 55.68% of its annual rainfall quota, officials told news agency PTI.

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray asked the authorities to remain vigilant and continue with the rescue operations in war footing. He also held an emergency meeting with officials to take stock of the flood situation in Ratnagiri and Raigad districts.

Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Ratnagiri's Khed and Chiplun areas and two others have been mobilised to help with rescue operations at Khed in Ratnagiri and Mahad in Raigad, respectively.