Heavy rains cause floods in parts of Maharashtra

[NiveRoshni]

Heavy rains cause floods in parts of Maharashtra



State authorities have deployed two teams of National Disaster Relief Force in Kolhapur as the Panchganga river has started swelling

Coastal Konkan, parts of Mumbai metropolitan region and several districts in western Maharashtra and Vidarbha witnessed floods on Thursday following heavy rains since Wednesday.

Chiplun town in Ratnagiri district of Konkan is badly hit as floodwater from nearby Vasisthi river submerged several areas. The state administration is planning to evacuate hundreds of residents who have been stranded at home in submerged areas.

State authorities have deployed two teams of National Disaster Relief Force in Kolhapur as the Panchganga river has started swelling.

Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Raigad, Ratnagiri, Pune, Satara and Kolhapur for Thursday while nine other distircts, including Mumbai, Palghar, and Thane, are under orange alert.

Water level of Panchganga river in Kolhapur, and Krishna in Sangli has been on the rise nearing the danger level. The district administration has started discharge from the Koyana dam in Satara after it reported a rise in the water level. Many rivers in Ratnagiri district in coastal parts of the state have crossed their danger level.

In Mumbai Metropolitan Region, governed by nine municipal corporations, including Mumbai and Thane, the incessant rainfall over the past couple of days has resulted in waterlogging and disruption in the local train operations. Of the seven lakes that supply drinking water to Mumbai, Modak Sagar started overflowing early Thursday morning and Tansa is almost full. Two other lakes, Tulsi and Vehar, began overflowing last week. The rainfall in the catchment areas of the lakes has resulted in the rise in the water stock that will last for 64 days.

Local train operations are also disrupted on Central and Harbour line. Train services on the Konkan railway too have witnessed disruption owing to the waterlogging on the tracks in Ratnagiri. "Eight trains have been regulated due to a disruption on the route," Konkan Railway said. Water level of the Vashishti river between Chiplun and Kamathe stations in Ratnagiri rose above the danger level early Thursday morning.

After the water level in Panchganga river started rising rapidly, state authorities deployed two teams of NDRF in Kolhapur. "Each team has 25 personnel. More teams have been kept on standby for other parts of the state," said an official from the disaster management unit of the state government.

With moderate to heavy rainfall across the state over the past few days, the water level in reservoirs has increased to 34.28%. The state has received 57.3% of the season's -- June to September -- rainfall with 575.1mm rainfall till date against season's average rainfall of 1004.2 mm. The state has received more than 88mm rainfall in the last 60 hours, according to the state government website.

Two NDRF teams have been deployed for Khed and Chiplun, Ratnagiri tehsils that have been badly hit. The local administration has started rescue operations with the help of three boats of Indian Coast Guard and police department. The district administration has also demanded a Coast Guard helicopter for the rescue operation in these tehsils, a statement by district collector read.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/heavy-rains-cause-floods-in-parts-of-maharashtra-101626938384302.html