Rain disrupts rail services in Maharashtra, injures 17

Mumbai, May 31 (UNI) With the onset of monsoon in Maharashtra, one person was feared drowned near Gateway of India, while 17 others sustained injuries in two different incidents of wall collapse since last night.

Fire brigade sources said two persons were washed away in Gateway of India this evening, however one was rescued.

Search operations are going on for the second person.

Last night, two incidents of wall collapse were recorded, one at Malad in western suburbs in which 12 people were injured and another incident at Vikroli in eastern suburbs in which five people sustained injuries, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner (BMC) Johny Joseph told reporters here this evening.

Mr Joseph further said 31 incidents of tree uprooting was also recorded in last 24 hours. Minor water logging was experienced in few low lying areas in the city and its suburbs.

The weather bureau said monsoon has also arrived in Konkan, Goa and central parts of the state. Heavy rains had lashed Konkan for the last two days. The weather bureau has already given warning to all fishermen and ports.

They have said there will be very heavy rainfall in a few places with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places during the next 48 hours.

As last years 26/7 deluge is still fresh in the minds of people the government has taken precautions with the control room there geared with communication systems, networked computer system, disaster management software, television and conferencing, ration stock among other facilities.

Meanwhile, Relief and Rehabilitation Secretary, K S Watse informed that all districts in the state have been alerted for any possible eventuality.

Last evening 650 mm rain was recorded in Ratnagiri district, where three persons were swept away and one person died as a result of lightining and thunder, Mr Watse said in a release issued here.

Sindudurg district also recorded 200 mm of rain in the last 24 hours where one woman was swept away by strong currents of flash floods.

Ratnagiri region received as much as 614 mm rainfall in the past 24 hrs, with 180 mm in just one hour, which resulted in the flooding of tracks at five sites over the KR route between Sangameshwar and Kankavali. Water had touched the danger level at one of the bridges near Ratnagiri.

In view of this, 2051 Janashtabdi express of June 1 likely to leave at night time, 0103 Mandavi Exp of June 1 is likely to be rescheduled, 0111 Konkankanyha Express May 31 rescheduled to 0300 hrs , 0103 Mandvi Express of today rescheduled to 1600 hrs, 0112 Konkankanya exp of today rescheduled to 0600 hrs tomorrow, 2620 Matsyagandha express leaving today will now leave at 0100 hrs tomorrow, 2619 Matsyagandha has been rescheduled to 1945 hrs today.

6346 Trivandrum-LTT Netravatri Express of May 30 is running 7 hours 30 minutes late, 0111 Konkankanya express of May 30 late by 11 hrs 25 minutes, 2617 Mangla express of May 30 running seven hours late, while 0104 Mandavi Express and 2052 Janshatabdi express running late by two hours and 2431 Trivandrum-Nizamudding Rajdhani Express running three hours late, the release added.

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