NASHIK: Heavy overnight rains in Maharashtra's Nashik district prompted authorities to release water from various dams here, which caused the Godavari river to overflow on Wednesday, officials said.
The district administration alerted residents living on the banks of the river as the water level may increase further due to discharge from the Gangapur dam.
Water had reached the chest of 'Dutondya Maruti', the tall idol of Lord Hanuman on the bank of the river.
Most of the small temples and a canopy under which post-death rites are performed in Ramkund area here were almost submerged in the water.
The rains also caused damage to crops in Yeola, Nandgaon and Niphad talukas.
The district administration moved small stalls and vendors away from the Godavari banks and also appealed to people living near the river to shift to safer places as more discharge of water from dams was expected.
In view of the forecast of more heavy rains on Wednesday, the administration appealed to citizens not to venture out of their homes unnecessarily.
Heavy showers lashed the district in the night, but the rain intensity reduced in the morning.
Almost all talukas, including Nashik, Niphad, Igatpuri, Trimbakeshwar, Malegaon, Nandgaon, Sinnar, Baglan, Surgana and Dewla, received heavy rains, officials said.
As a result, the overall stock of water in dams here reached 89 per cent, hence water was released from various reservoirs, the district administration said.
From 6 am to 12 noon Wednesday, 10,531 cusec (cubic metre per second) water was discharged from the Gangapur dam, 45,082 cusec from Nandur-Madhyameshwar reservoir, 2,150 cusec from Kashyapi dam and 1,150 cusec from Gautami-Godavari dam In the six-hour period from 6 am on Wednesday, Gangapur dam recorded 4 mm rain, Kashyapi-9 mm, Gautami-Godavari- 8 mm, Trimbakeshwar- 20 mm and Amboli- 8 mm, authorities said.