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Pune rain ‘unprecedented,’ says deputy CM Ajit Pawar; two specialised NDRF teams deployed
Heavy rain lashed Baramati, Indapur and Daund tehsils. Incidentally, Indapur, Daund and Baramati tehsils are generally considered rain-deficient.
Maharashtra's Pune district continued to receive heavy rainfall on Monday, which deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar described as “unprecedented” for May.
Flooding and inundation of homes were reported from several areas of the district, prompting the administration to request two specialised teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to assist with rescue efforts in Baramati and Indapur. Two people were rescued from an inundated location in Indapur.
Also read | Mumbai crippled on Day 1 of monsoon, red alert issued
Pune rain
A statement from the chief minister's office said, “Pune, Satara, Solapur, Raigad, Mumbai and MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region) have received heavy rainfall. Daund received 117 mm of rain in 24 hours, Baramati 104.75 mm, while 63.25 mm was recorded in Indapur.”
In Baramati tehsil, 25 houses partially collapsed, and seven people trapped in floodwaters were rescued. “70 to 80 families have been shifted to safer places. Mobile services that were disrupted yesterday are now being restored,” the CM’s Office said.
Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar visited Baramati tehsil on Monday to take stock of the rains, which he said were “unprecedented” for May.
Also read | Mumbai rain breaks 107-year record, marks earliest monsoon in 75 years
Traffic resumed on a stretch of the Pune-Solapur highway near Indapur. This portion of the highway was closed for about two hours on Sunday due to waterlogging.
Incidentally, Indapur, Daund and Baramati tehsils are generally considered rain-deficient.
In Baramati tehsil, which typically receives low rainfall, flooding in 70 villages in Indapur and 150 homes in Baramati prompted the deployment of two NDRF teams for rescue operations.
Mumbai rain update
According to IMD, the early onset of the Southwest Monsoon in Maharashtra and Mumbai marked the earliest arrival of seasonal rain in 75 years. In Mumbai, monsoon arrived 16 days early. The normal date for monsoon's arrival in Mumbai is around June 11.
The weather agency extended the red alert warning for Mumbai till 8.30 am on Tuesday, warning of extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places. A yellow alert, forecasting heavy rainfall at isolated places, was issued for May 27-28, and moderate rainfall is likely to continue over the weekend.
