Continuous rainfall since the early hours of Thursday brought the city to a standstill with severe waterlogging, traffic congestion, and incidents of treefall reported from various parts of the city. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune recorded 54.2 mm of rainfall between 12 am and 5.30 pm on June 19.
Areas such as Hinjewadi, Mundhwa, and parts of Kothrud and Hingne experienced flooding with some residential localities reporting water entering homes. Roads in these areas turned into streams, severely impacting vehicular movement.
The stretch between Dhayari and Sinhagad Road witnessed major waterlogging even as traffic snarls were reported from Sai Nagar in Hingne, (near) Badhai Sweets in Kothrud, Parvati and Swargate bus stop, disrupting the commute during peak hours.
Water entered homes in Sai Nagar as well, with residents attributing the flooding to the collapse of a forest department wall that has evaded repairs for more than a year.
Govind Gore, a resident of Sai Nagar, said, “The wall behind our house collapsed last year and despite several complaints, no action was taken. The heavy rainfall from last night intensified at around 8 am, leading to water entering our homes. If the rain continues at night, it will be extremely unsafe to stay here.”
Shockingly, a large crater appeared near Chamber, adjacent to City Tower building behind VIIT College in lane number 3 of Shivshambho Nagar, sparking fears of potential land subsidence.
{{/usCountry}}Shockingly, a large crater appeared near Chamber, adjacent to City Tower building behind VIIT College in lane number 3 of Shivshambho Nagar, sparking fears of potential land subsidence.
{{/usCountry}}At Panchavati in Pashan, a tree collapsed in front of Nishigandh building, injuring a 22-year-old C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) student named Kajal apart from damaging both a four-wheeler and two-wheeler. Fortunately for Kajal and thanks to the fire brigade personnel’s swift response, she was rescued and admitted to Sai Shree Hospital in Aundh for treatment.
While large parts of the city went down under, the IMD maintained that the rainfall recorded was within expected levels.
S D Sanap, senior meteorologist, IMD Pune, said, “There was a forecast for light to moderate rain, and the current intensity falls under the moderate category. The monsoon is currently in an active phase, with an off-shore trough running from Maharashtra to North Karnataka causing increased rainfall activity. Similar conditions are likely on June 20 after which, the intensity is expected to reduce.”
Heavy rain prompts increase in discharge from Khadakwasla Dam
Continued heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of major dams led to a steady rise in water levels, prompting the irrigation department to increase the discharge from Khadakwasla Dam into the Mutha River. This is the first time this monsoon that there has been a significant increase in the water released from Khadakwasla Dam within a span of seven hours.
As of 1 pm on Thursday, the water release from the dam stood at 1920 cusecs but officials announced that the water release was increased to 15,092 cusecs by 11 pm in response to the rising inflow. The situation remains dynamic, with further adjustments likely based on the intensity of rainfall and the incoming water from upstream reservoirs.
According to official data, the Khadakwasla Dam has recorded 73 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, pushing its storage to 1.66 TMC which is approximately 84% of its total capacity. Similar trends have been observed in the other three dams that form part of the Khadakwasla Complex. Panshet has recorded 116 mm of rain and is now at 2.46 TMC (23.13% of its total capacity); Warasgaon has received 113 mm of rain and is now at 4.16 TMC (32.45% of its total capacity); and Temghar has reported 90 mm of rain and is now at 0.40 TMC (10.84% of its total capacity).
The combined water storage in all four dams has reached 8.68 TMC, amounting to 29.78% of their (combined) total capacity. This marks a considerable improvement over the corresponding period last year when storage was just 3.62 TMC or 12.43% of the four dams’ (combined) total capacity.
Authorities have issued a public advisory urging residents, especially those living along the banks of the Mutha River, to remain cautious. The increased discharge could lead to a rise in river levels and further releases may be initiated depending on future developments. The irrigation department has confirmed that no water has been released yet over the spillway but the catchment areas continue to receive significant rainfall, making the situation fluid.
The sub-divisional engineer from the Mutha Canal Irrigation Sub-division, Swargate, Pune, has assured that all precautionary measures are in place and that the discharge is being regulated to safely manage reservoir levels. The public has been requested to stay informed through official channels and avoid entering river areas during this period.
Above-normal rainfall in Pune this June
Pune continues to register above-normal rainfall this June, following an unusually wet May. As per IMD data, the city has recorded 232 mm rainfall so far this month, which is significantly higher than the normal June average of 166.3 mm. This is the second consecutive year wherein the June rainfall has crossed the 200 mm mark. In June 2024, the city had recorded 252 mm.
Area-wise rainfall report (mm) between 12 am and 5.30 pm on June 19
Shivajinagar 54.2
Pashan 64.2
Lohegaon 52.8
Chinchwad 90.0
Lavale 96.0
Magarpatta 49.0
Koregaon Park 0.5
NDA 86.0