Heavy rain had continue to lash several cities of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Palghar and others.
With waterlogging leading to traffic snarls and delayed flight and train operations. Owing to incessant rain, the district administration has announced the closure of all schools and colleges in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad on Friday.
Several areas of Mumbai recorded more than 100 mm of rainfall between 4 am and 1 pm on Thursday, officials said. Malpa Dongri area in Andheri recorded the highest rainfall of 157 mm during this period, followed by Paspoli in Powai receiving 155 mm and Dindoshi receiving 154 mm rainfall.
Several residential areas in Pune’s Pimpri-Chinchwad have been flooded while four people died in rain-related incidents in the district. Pune’s District Magistrate (DM) Suhas Divsae also called in army personnel to help the local administration to speed up the relief operations.
ARMY DEPLOYED IN PUNE
Meanwhile, several contingents of the Indian Army have been roped in to evacuate affected people and shift them to safer locations in Pune. Around 400 people have been evacuated so far. Two columns of the Army were deployed in the Sinhagad Road area, which was severely affected by flooding, officials said.
Besides, teams of the NDRF, fire brigade as well as the district and city disaster management cells were pressed into service to carry out relief operations.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said that if the need arises, the rain-hit people will be airlifted to Pune, where incessant downpour has inundated residential colonies and houses in low-lying areas.
“If the need arises, we have told them to airlift people. There is no need to worry,” the Chief Minister said.
AIRLINES ISSUE ADVISORY
Several airlines have also issued an advisory, informing passengers that some of their flights to Mumbai had been delayed and diverted due to heavy rainfall.
“Heavy rains in Mumbai are affecting flight operations and resulting in cancellation and diversion of some of our flights. Air India is offering full refunds or a one-time complimentary rescheduling for bookings confirmed for travel on 25th July 2024,” Air India said in a post on X.
“Continuous and heavy rains over #Mumbai are causing periodic delays in flight schedules. While we strive to give you real-time updates, we kindly ask you to check your flight status before leaving for the airport,” IndiGo said in its statement on X.
Another low-cost carrier, SpiceJet, stated X, saying that all departures/arrivals from Mumbai airport may be affected due to bad weather.
“Due to bad weather (heavy rain) in Mumbai (BOM), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may get affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status…,” SpiceJet said in a post on X.
State Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar took stock of the situation and also spoke to Divisional Commissioners and other officials of Mumbai, Pune and Thane over the phone and gave instructions to maintain alertness and for rescue and relief work.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in a post on X also appealed to the people of Mumbai requesting them to avoid stepping out of Mumbai in view of the ‘red alert’ issued till Friday morning. Additionally, a holiday has been declared in all schools and colleges of the city as the weather department has issued a red alert in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane, Raigad and Palghar districts.
“The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warning a Red Alert for Mumbai till tomorrow morning 8.30 am. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) appeals all Mumbaikars to avoid steping out if not urgent. Please co-operate [sic],” BMC said in its post on X.
The heavy rains are likely to continue across the different areas of the state in the coming days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a statement.
In Pune, at least four persons lost their lives in rain-related incidents.
Three men died of electrocution in the Deccan area of the city while trying to move their handcart, on which they used to sell egg dishes, got submerged due to heavy rains, one person died and another one sustained injuries in a landslide in the Tahmini ghat section of the city.
The district administration and local police were engaged in the task of removing the debris from the road, a local official said, adding that after removing it the road will be open for vehicular movement.
In another incident, four to five people are feared trapped in a bungalow in the Lavasa area after a mudslide. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams has been deployed in low lying areas where flooding and inundation is anticipated.
Meanwhile, water is being released at the rate of 9,400 cusec from the Khadakwasla dam following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas in Pune. The district administration has also cautioned people living in low-lying areas to remain alert.
The IMD has issued a red alert for Pune for the next 24 hours.
In the state’s Raigad district, the local administration declared a holiday for schools, colleges and other educational institutions on Thursday in the wake of heavy rainfall. A similar order has been issued for Palghar’s Wada and Vikramgad sub-divisions.
The weather department has issued a ‘red alert’ for both the districts, located on the west coast of the districts. Meanwhile, in the Kolhapur district, an alert was issued as the Panchganga River was flowing just a few inches below the danger mark on Wednesday.
As per the figures, the water level of the Panchganga at Rajaram weir reached 42.2 feet, which is 8 inches below the danger mark of 43 feet.