Flood situation continues to be grim in Kolhapur, Sangli

Kolhapur, July 31 (UNI) A 65-year-old man was swept away on the swollen Warna river near Satave-Sawarde village in Panhala taluka of this district.

Dattu Yesu Bachhe was returning home from his fields when he was swept away last evening, police said.

Meanwhile, the already overflowing Panchaganga river further swelled following discharge of water from the dams. Water level at the Rajaram weir near Kasaba-Bavada rose to 41.1 feet this evening, crossing the danger mark of 39 feet, irrigation department sources said tonight.

Krishna river, too, is in spate following discharge of 12,600 cusecs of water from the Warna dam.

Water is also being discharged at the rate of 72,686 cusecs from Koyana dam, while 6,200 cusecs of water are being released from Radhanagari dam and 1,014 cusecs from Tulshi dam.

The situation in the worst-affected Shirol tehsil has not shown any improvement, district collector office sources said.

In Shirol taluka, eleven villages have been affected and army jawans are engaged in relief and rescue operations.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil visited a few villages in Shirol taluka to take stock of the relief and rescue operations.

Mr Patil held a meeting with government officials and also visited some relief camps.

While informing that the State Government had expended Rs 900 crore last year in providing relief to the flood-affected, Mr Patil said similar succour would be renderred this year too.

About 1200 people from Shirol were shifted to safer places.

The flood situation in neighbouring Sangli district too has shown no signs of improvement. Waters from the swollen Krishna river further inundated parts of Sangli city with waters entering the busy city market.

Krishna is flowing at 50 feet near Airwin bridge close to Sangli city, well above the danger mark of 45 feet.

So far, about 79,000 people from 63 villages in Sangli district have been evacuated to safer places and relief and rescue operations are continuing.

Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil, State Finance Minister Jayant Patil, and Sangli district Guardian Minister Patangrao Kadam visited some of the flood-affected areas and took stock of the relief and rescue operations.

UNI BBK MAZ AB KN2154