MUMBAI: Rescue teams including those mobilised by the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force have evacuated more than 89,000 trapped people in many parts of Maharashtra amid the torrential rainfall.
According to the government, the heavy rain coincided with high tides, and discharges from dams led to many regions in the state getting inundated, thereby resulting in floods in multiple districts.
Mahad and Poladpur in Raigad, Chiplun in Ratnagiri, as well as areas in Satara, Kolhapur, and Sangli have been affected. The Thane and Palghar districts also experienced heavy flooding in the last two days.
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, along with state Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, visited Taliye village where 47 people lost their lives and 53 are still missing. Thackeray assured landslide-affected families of rehabilitation and told them that all possible help from the government will be extended.
He also announced the preparations of the master plan to control flood water in Konkan and western Maharashtra region, which faces torrential rain and flooding every year.
“Government will work on this water management plan that will ensure that no areas of these regions face such high flooding due to heavy rain. This is the annual affair that has to be tackled by working on a long term plan,” Thackeray said.
Maharashtra housing minister Jitendra Awhad said the government housing body – MHADA takes the responsibility of constructing new houses for Taliye village people who lost their houses in a landslide.
Meanwhile, NCP Minister Chagan Bhujbal declared that 10 kg rice, 10 kg wheat, five kg pulses, and five liters of kerosene will be given to every rain-affected family free of cost.
In Raigad, heavy rainfall resulted in the Savitri river bursting its banks and flooding the Mahad and Poladpur areas. Taliye village is 20 km from Mahad. The whole town of Mahad was completely cut off due to the flood and was not accessible by road. Many people were stranded on rooftops and upper floors of the houses.
In Satara district, torrential rainfall (the hillstation Mahabaleshwar received more than 1100 mm of rainfall in less than 48 hours) resulted in heavy discharge from the Koyna dam.