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Rescue teams pull out 800 people after making way into water-locked Shirol taluka
A woman suspected to be in her 90s was rescued four days after floodwaters entered her house in a village in Shirol taluka, Kolhapur.
A woman suspected to be in her 90s was rescued four days after floodwaters entered her house in a village in Shirol taluka, Kolhapur.
The woman was pulled out by rescue teams of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force which managed to gain access into the interiors of the taluka on Friday night. She was among the 800 people rescued after teams were able to reach Shirol, which is surrounded by water on all sides, according to the army officer who is heading the operation in the area.
“The distance is a lot. Approximately 7-8 km. Also, the village is also big in size, therefore, it is taking time to bring people out. We have given priority to the sick, elderly, women and children,” said Lieutenant Colonel AK Meitei, who was in one of the villages located in the interiors of Shirol.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have also rescued people from parts of Shirol.
The villages were accessed by the defence rescue teams on Saturday night after multiple attempts to cut through the high current of the floodwaters.
Rescue teams in Sangli, as well as Kolhapur, have reported on Sunday that the people who are on higher grounds have chosen to remain inside as the waters have started receding.
“Many people are still in their houses but do not wish to come out. However, they are on high grounds,” added Lieutenant Colonel Meitei.
A total of 28 villages in 3 talukas of Sangli district, 18 villages in 4 talukas of Kolhapur district, and 16 villages in 2 talukas of Solapur are still waterlocked, according to a statement issued by the office of Pune divisional commissioner, which head five districts in the division.
