Maha toll rises, over 70 killed
MUMBAI: The toll from flooding and landslides in Maharashtra went up to 76 on Saturday and 38 others were injured, a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said, after heavy rain pummelled the Konkan and Western Maharashtra region for two days.
At least 59 others were missing, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday.
In the worst-hit Raigad district, 47 people lost their lives, including 37 in the landslide at Taliye village on Thursday, according to the state disaster management department. At least 32 houses were buried in the landslide and, as on Friday evening, 36 bodies were pulled out from the debris.
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray was due to visit the village later in the day.
Parts of the Raigad and Ratnagiri districts in the coastal Konkan region and Kolhapur district in western Maharashtra have been worst affected by the floods. Besides that, heavy rains have been pounding parts of the Satara district.
Pawar said 21 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been working with 14 teams of the Army, the Coast Guard and others in the rain-ravaged districts. Besides, four teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have also joined the evacuation operations.
Rivers in Kolhapur and Sangli districts, including the Panchganga, have breached the danger mark and have inundated many areas. “A total of 76 people have lost their lives due to heavy rains till Saturday morning (in Maharashtra). These include 47 in Raigad, six in Satara, four in Mumbai and nearby areas, one in Pune, 11 in Ratnagiri, five in Kolhapur, and two in Sindhudurg. 53 people are missing in Raigad, four in Satara and two in Thane till Saturday morning,” the deputy CM told reporters.
The CMO statement said that as per the information received from the Relief and Rehabilitation Department, nearly 90,000 people have been evacuated.
According to Pawar, 23 areas in the Pune district are landslide-prone including five areas in Ambegaon, two in Maval, two in Khed, three in Bhor, besides one area each in Mulshi, Junnar, and Velha. “In these areas also many people have lost their lives,” he added.
Pawar said the state government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the victims killed in floods and landslides while the Central government has announced Rs 2 lakh each.
Earlier in the day, five bodies were recovered from the landslide site at Ambeghar village in Satara district, an official said.
The district administration said that at least 16 people are feared trapped in the debris at this village located in Patan tehsil as four to five houses were buried under the debris.
Pawar also said the government has decided to distribute ration kits in affected areas.
“Usually a ration kit includes wheat, rice, pulses, and kerosene. But considering the restrictions to get wheat flour in this scenario, the government has decided to give rice, pulses, and kerosene in ration kits, which will help people prepare khichdi as a meal. Along with this, we are appealing social organisations to come forward to run Shivbhojan thali centres in the affected areas,” Pawar said.
The deputy CM further said the Maharashtra government is coordinating with its Karnataka counterpart to ensure flood relief for the people (in Kolhapur district) by releasing water (from Almatti dam).
The India Meteorology Department (IMD), meanwhile, said rainfall intensity along the west coast is expected to decrease over the next 24 hours, in a much needed relief to rain-battered Maharashtra and Goa.
Rainfall activity will increase over the north Indian plains and hills from July 25, it said.
“Further reduction in rainfall intensity is very likely along the west coast, including Konkan, Goa and adjoining interior Maharashtra, during the next 24 hours,” the IMD said.
“Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls (are) very likely to continue over west coast, including Maharashtra, on July 24 and isolated heavy falls thereafter.”