INDIA. Mumbai: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Kolhapur, Palghar, Nashik, Pune, and Ratnagiri districts of Maharashtra with a forecast of ‘heavy’ to ‘very heavy’ rains till Thursday.
The administration has mandated the closure of schools and institutions in Gadchiroli, located in the Vidarbha region of eastern Maharashtra, until Wednesday due to the recent downpours that have pounded several sections of the state.
With IMD issuing a red alert, Gadchiroli Collector Sanjay Meena issued an order stating that except for emergency services, all private offices, establishments, and shops will remain closed given the flooding till Wednesday midnight.
Three people in the Gadchiroli district have drowned in overflowing nullahs in the previous three days, and their remains were later recovered, according to a release from the District Information Office (DIO). Besides, as many as 353 people from 129 places affected by heavy rains were shifted to safer places.
Most of the Vidarbha rivers, including Pranhita, Bandiya, Pearlkota, Paul Gautam, and Indravati, are in spate. Due to the overflowing Vainganga river, the flood gates of Sanjay Sarovar and Gosikhurd dam were opened on Monday. Similarly, 81 floodgates of the Medigadda barrage (Kaleshwaram irrigation project) located on the Maharashtra-Telangana border were opened to reduce flooding. Nagpur received 65 per cent of the July rainfall in the last ten days.
The IMD has forecast thunderstorms with lightning very likely at isolated places over Chandrapur. Besides, the light to moderate rainfall is very likely at a few places over Gondia and isolated places over Bhandara, Gadchiroli, and Yavatmal districts of Vidarbha on Tuesday, the IMD bulleting stated.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Gadchiroli to take stock of the situation on Monday. The officials informed them that nearly 14 people died in different rain-related incidents in Vidarbha in the last few days. The administration has deployed 13 teams of NDRF and two State Disaster Relief Force teams in the eight districts for relief measures.
Nashik
In Central Maharashtra’s Nashik area, torrential downpours persisted, raising the water levels of multiple rivers and flooding numerous temples built on the Godavari river’s bed. Till Thursday, the Nashik district is under a “red” alert from the IMD due to the forecast of heavy to extremely heavy rains totaling more than 20 cm in 24 hours.
Surgana in the Nashik district had received the highest rainfall over the previous 24 hours with 238.8 mm, followed by Peth with 187.6 mm and Trimbakeshwar with 168 mm. The heavy rains resulted in an increase in water levels in various dams of the district. In Nashik city, pre-primary schools have been shut due to the rains.
Nanded
The incessant rains triggered floods in rivers in Nanded and Ardhapur. The rains damaged crops and houses of farmers in the Nanded district of the Marathwada region. Nanded MP Prataprao Patil Chikahlikar has assured affected farmers of 100 per cent financial assistance.
Mumbai
Civic officials said that light to moderate rains also lashed Mumbai and its neighbouring areas, but there was no report of water-logging anywhere in the metropolis. However, three houses collapsed in neighbouring rural Thane, and one person was reported to have drowned. Pune district has also witnessed heavy rains for the last few days.
Meanwhile, IMD in the late Monday evening bulletin forecast “Moderate risk” likely over few watersheds and neighbourhoods of East Madhya Pradesh, West Madhya Pradesh, Konkan and Goa, Saurashtra and Kutch in south Gujarat region, south and east Vidarbha (Maharashtra), Chhatisgarh, North Telangana and coastal Karnataka in next 24 hours.
Also Read: Orange Alert: Goa Witness 24-Hours Continuous Rainfall
