INDIA. Mumbai: While the water was receding in most of the flood-affected areas, the death toll in Maharashtra rose to 138 with 99 people missing and over 2.29 lakh people from flood-hit areas evacuated, on Sunday.
However the areas in Sangli in Western Maharashtra remained submerged in floodwater, due to swollen “Warana river”. The water has entered the roads and fields, submerging many areas of the Sangli district.
Due to the discharge of water from the Koyna dam located in Satara, the level of the Krishna river has risen to 55 feet leading to flooding in the ST stand, Market yard, and other areas of Sangli. Resultantly nearly 1.50 lakh people were shifted to safer places.
The Kolhapur is still facing the threat of the recurrence of floods due to the overflowing of the Radhanagari dam. Its 5 flood gates have already been opened. The vehicular traffic on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway remained closed as a stretch near Shirol village in the district was underwater.
The death toll
The break up of deaths in rain-related incidents is: Mumbai-04, Thane- 12 died, Raigad-53( 28 injured) (the figure includes 47 died in Taliye village where 23 people are still missing as per NDRF), Satara- 37(03 missing), Ratnagiri-21(14 missing, 07 injured), Kolhapur-07(01 missing), Pune-02 and Sindhudurg -02. The Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Satara districts have witnessed maximum deaths.
At present over 50 teams of different agencies are engaged in rescue operations. They include National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF)- 34 teams, SDRF-04, Coast Guard-03, Indian Navy-07, and Indian Army-03.
The NDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations in Thane, Ratnagiri, Palghar, Raigad, Sahara, Sangli, Sindhudurg, and Kolhapur districts in coordination with the state administration. Besides the NDRF is constantly tracking the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) weather forecast and Central Water Commission’s report and taking actions accordingly.
The six medical teams of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) left for Raigad and Kolhapur on Sunday. The Shiv Sena Thane unit despatched over 25,000 food kits for the flood-affected people. Similarly, the NCP too despatched the vehicles carrying relief material to the flood-affected areas.
CM visit
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray visited flood-affected Chiplun in Ratnagiri district on Sunday. He met officials and local representatives to assess the extent of damage and ongoing relief operation. He also interacted with residents, businessmen, and shopkeepers, and promised them all help from the state government to restore normalcy in the area. Thackeray said they will require “central assistance for long-term mitigation measures”, and added that he will tour western Maharashtra on Monday and comprehensive data of the extent of damages will be prepared. Thackeray is scheduled to visit Satara on Monday.
Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane visited Taliye village in Raigad, the site of a massive landslide on Friday, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked him to submit a report on the damage caused by the rains. He said damaged houses would be rebuilt under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana after suggestions are taken from residents.
