CM to visit rain-hit Marathwada soon

About 11 lakh-hectare farmland damaged due to incessant rainfall and waterlogging in Marathwada, North Maharashtra & Vidarbha

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will soon be paying a visit to flood-hit Marathwada. Torrential rainfall, caused by Cyclone Gulab, has severely damaged crops and properties in the districts of Latur, Osmanabad, Beed and Nanded in the Marathwada region; Washim and Buldhana in the Vidarbha region, Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar in the North Maharashtra region and Palghar in the Konkan region.

The CM, on Wednesday, reviewed the situation district wise and termed it ‘unprecedented.’ He ordered the administrations to assess the damage and assure aid to those affected by the floods. They were also directed to pay attention to the rescue and rehabilitation operations and maintain coordination amongst all the agencies.

More than 100 people, who were stranded in the floods in Osmanabad, Latur, Aurangabad and Yavatmal, were rescued by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel and police. 13 people died due to heavy rainfall and lightning in various parts of Maharashtra. 136 suffered injuries. Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar said more than 11 hectares of farm land were submerged in Marathwada, Vidarbha and North Maharashtra in the last two days. The damage will be assessed. The state government will then take a call on declaring a wet drought in these districts.

As reported by the Free Press Journal, Wadettiwar said the state government had demanded assistance of Rs 7,700 crore to deal with the damage caused by various natural calamities this year. However, the Central government has sanctioned only Rs 1,100 crore so far. A state minister claimed that the Central team has not yet reviewed the damage caused by the floods in July. "The loss was estimated at Rs 1,659 crore," he added. "In September alone, 71 people have died due to natural calamities, including floods and lightning. Another 26 were injured," he said.