Rains wreak havoc in Maharashtra: 4 dead in Pune; flights disrupted in Mumbai

Torrential downpour that lashed several parts of Maharashtra over the past two days, have led to flooding, shutdown of education institutions while disrupting train and flight services across the state. Four people have died in rain-related incidents in Pune while rainwater has flooded several residential complexes in the city.

Heavy rains in Mumbai and its suburbs on Thursday (July 25) has also led to waterlogging on roads, causing traffic snarls while disrupting train and flight services. The city recorded its second-wettest July ever after getting a rainfall of over 150 cm.

4 dead in Pune; ‘red alert’ for 48 hrs

At least four people have died in rain-related incidents in Pune even as the state government is conducting evacuations from low-lying areas on a war footing. While three of them died in Pune city early on Thursday while they were trying to move their handcart, submerged in water in Deccan area, to a safer place, another person died in a landslide in Tamhini ghat section in Mulshi tehsil, officials said.

Heavy rains have lashed Pune city and other parts of the district including Velha, Mulshi, and Bhor talukas as well as the catchment areas of dams including Khadakwasla since Wednesday night.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red alert’ for Pune district for another 48 hours, and as heavy rains are expected to continue later in the day in the catchment areas of Khadakwasla and other upstream dams, more water was likely to be released from Khadakwasla reservoir (increasing the water level in the Mutha river that flows through the city).

The rains have also caused flooding in residential areas in low lying places like Sinhagad Road, Bavdhan, Barner, and Deccan Gymkhana. Videos of the downpour showed cars and two-wheelers standing in water.

The downpour has also completely brought the Baba Bhide bridge on Mutha river under water.

Evacuation efforts

As of Thursday, about 400 people have been evacuated from the low-lying areas of the city including Sinhagad Road. Two columns of the Army were deployed in Sinhagad Road area, which was severely affected by flooding, officials said.

Apart from three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire brigade as well as the district and city disaster management cells were pressed into service to carry out relief operations.

"So far 400 people from Sinhagad Road area have been shifted to safety," said District Collector, Suhas Divsae.

Army personnel were helping with relief operations in Ekta Nagar in Sinhagad Road area, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), officials said.

The Fire Department also rescued 70 stranded people from the Nimbjanagar area of Pune city earlier on Thursday.

Tourist places such as waterfalls and lakes in Pune district have been closed to tourists.

There were, however, no reports of any village in the district getting cut off due to the rains, Divase said.

Besides schools, private establishments and offices in affected areas have been asked to give a holiday to their employees, he said.

People will be airlifted if need be: CM Shinde

Meanwhile, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar visited the PMC's disaster management cell to take stock of the situation.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said if the need arises, the rain-hit people will be airlifted in Pune.

Shinde said he has spoken to the Pune district collector and civic body chiefs in the city and its neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad, an industrial township.

He has also spoken to officials of the Army and NDRF to seek their help in the evacuation.

"If the need arises, we have told them to airlift people. There is no need to worry," the chief minister said.

He said he has directed the administration to stay on alert mode and make necessary arrangements and ensure there is no loss of life.

Shinde said he was keeping an eye on the situation and has spoken to Deputy Chief Minister and Pune Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also monitoring the situation from the control room in the Mantralaya, the state secretariat in Mumbai.

Flights disrupted

For Mumbai and its suburbs, IMD has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall with possibility of very heavy rainfall at isolated places in next 24 hours starting 8 am. The weather department has issued a red alert for Mumbai city, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall at some places till 8.30 am on Friday (July 26).

The rainfall on Thursday led to cancellation and diversion of several flights. Stating that heavy rains were “causing periodic delays in flight schedules”, IndiGo urged passengers to check their flight statuses before heading to the airport.

SpiceJet also made a similar request to passengers.

Air India, which cancelled and diverted several flights due to the rains, has offered affected passengers a full refund or a one-time complimentary rescheduling.

Overflowing lakes

Owing to incessant rains in the catchment areas, Vihar and Modak Sagar lakes started overflowing. With this, four of the seven reservoirs providing potable water to the metropolis are now overflowing, which improved the overall water stock, officials said.

Due to incessant rains, the water level of Mithi river, which runs through the industrial hub of the city, rose to 2.5 metres, while its danger mark is 4.2 metres, an official said, adding that a high tide of 4.64 metres has been predicted in the Arabian Sea at 2.51 pm.

Vihar lake, one of the seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai, started overflowing at around 3.50 am, while Modak Sagar started overflowing at 10.40 am, the officials said. Powai and Tulsi lakes have already started overflowing.

IMD forecast for Mumbai

The IMD forecast said that Mumbai will most likely witness occasional gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph.

In the 24 hours ending 8 am on Thursday, the island city recorded 44 mm rainfall, its eastern and western suburbs 90 mm and 89 mm rainfall, respectively, a civic official said.

Some low-lying areas saw waterlogging due to the heavy rains since early morning, forcing the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), which operates passenger buses in the city, to divert its vehicles on half a dozen routes in Aarey Colony.

Trains delayed

Commuters complained that the suburban services operated by the Western Railway and the Central Railway were running 10-15 minutes late.

A Central Railway spokesperson said that due to low visibility as a result of heavy rains, the speed of suburban trains has been reduced.

Water started accumulating in railway tracks between Kurla and Ghatkopar stations from 10.30 am onwards, but it is still below the danger mark and hence all the suburban trains are running at reduced speed, he said.

Railway traffic on the Panvel-Karjat line has been suspended due to flooding in tracks, he added.

(With inputs from agencies)