MUMBAI: Life is slowly limping back to normalcy in flood-ravaged Kolhapur and Sangli as floodwaters receded in these districts of Maharashtra and the key rivers there are now flowing below the danger mark, officials said on Wednesday.
Till Tuesday, 6.45 lakh people were shifted to safer locations in Kolhapur and Sangli, which have been the worst affected by flooding.
“In Kolhapur, life is inching back to normalcy as the relief measures and work to restore various services are going on in full swing,” an official at the collectorate said.
The situation in Shirol tehsil has also improved as maximum help is being provided there, he said.
On Wednesday, the water level of the Panchganga River at Rajaram weir in Kolhapur was at 42.11 feet, marginally below the danger line of 43 feet, he said.
Bollywood actors Nana Patekar and Urmila Matondkar visited Satara and Sangli on Wednesday. Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’s Adv Prakash Ambedkar said his party will adopt the Brahmanal village, where 16 people died when a rescue boat capsized last week.
The death toll, however, reached 50 on Wednesday with the recovery of more bodies amid receding floodwaters.
"The toll has reached 50. Three persons are still missing," he said.
The floods have devastated villages on the banks of the Krishna and Panchganga rivers.
The level of the Krishna has gone down below danger level of 45 feet at Irwin Bridge in Sangli city, while the Panchganga is flowing at the danger level of 43 feet at Rajaram Weir near Kolhapur city, officials said.
The discharge of water from the Almatti dam in Karnataka has been maintained at 5,70,000 cubic feet per second (cusec), Mhaisekar said.
The Maharashtra government had asked the neighbouring state to discharge water from Almatti, which is downstream on the Krishna, to ease flooding in western Maharashtra.
"Carcasses of 150 animals were disposed of using scientific methods to prevent health hazards," an official added.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said on Tuesday that the state government will seek the assistance of Rs 6,813 crore from the Centre for flood relief.
(With PTI Inputs)