MUMBAI/BENGALURU: Flood-like situation has occurred in parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka following heavy rainfall in both the states.
The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) has initiated various rescue operations in the affected areas of these two states.
On Wednesday, two NDRF teams were sent to Karnataka and three teams in Maharashtra to carry out the rescue operations.
The NDRF has deployed two teams in Maharashtra, one each in Latur and Solapur to rescue people affected due to heavy rainfalls in the area.
People in Baramati, Pune moved out of their houses amid the flood-like situation in the city.
Furthermore, the incessant rainfall has led to a rise in the water level of Sonna Barrage in the Gulbarga District of Karnataka.
Over 2 lakh cusecs of water have been discharged from the Sonna Barrage into the Bheema river.
"2,23,000 cusecs of water discharged from Sonna Barrage into Bheema river in Afzalpur, Kalaburagi district, following heavy rainfall in Maharashtra," said Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited on Thursday.
IMD issues warning for Maharashtra
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday issued a rainfall and strong wind warning over Maharashtra for today and tomorrow. It also said that there can be damage to crops and disruption of daily activities in the affected areas.
According to IMD, the well marked low pressure area over south Madhya Maharashtra and neighbourhood moved westwards and lay over south Madhya Maharashtra and adjoining south Konkan.
"Strong wind speed reaching 20-30 kmph gusting to 40 kmph is very likely to prevail around the system centre and over Madhya Maharashtra during the next 12 hours and gradually decrease thereafter," predicted the IMD.
It further stated, "Due to well-marked low pressure area over Maharashtra, light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places would occur over Konkan and Goa and adjoining Ghats of Maharashtra and heavy falls at isolated places over coastal south Gujarat today."
It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and emerge into east-central Arabian Sea off Maharashtra coast and concentrate into a Depression over east-central and adjoining northeast Arabian Sea off Maharashtra - south Gujarat coasts during next 48 hours, said the IMD, adding, "It is very likely to move gradually west-northwestwards and intensify further."
This can cause damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees, drumstick trees and horticultural crops. Flooding and or water logging in low lying areas, disruption of surface transport, landslides, water pooling are also expected in the affected areas, added the IMD.