Bhandara, Gondia faced with flood threat

Mumbai, Aug 14 (UNI) The heightened fury of the rains since August 5 has left 330 people dead in the State while 24 others are still reported missing.

Bhandara and Gondia districts in the Vidarbha regions continued to remain in the grips of the floods but the situation elsewhere in the state has improved.

State Director General of Information and Public Relations Manisha Mhaiskar said at a press conference here today.

Ms Mhaiskar said the rains had affected 32 out of the 35 districts in the State. Over eleven lakh people from 8495 villages in 239 talukas were affected and 472,000 people had to be evacuated.

The State Government has set up 879 relief camps for their benefit, Ms Mhaiskar said, adding around 2200 tonnes of foodgrains had been distributed and Rs 10.64 crore disbursed as ex gratia.

While the situation elsewhere in the state has shown signs of improving, the situation in Bhandara and Gondia has turned grim with the Vainganga River flowing above the danger mark. An army column has been kept in readiness, Ms Mhaiskar said. As many as 100 villages in these two districts have been alerted.

Ms Mhaiskar informed that twelve districts in the state had received more than the average rainfall.

Regarding the discharge from various dams, Ms Mhaiskar said the discharge from Bhima stood at 1.30 lakh cusecs while that from Almatti, it was three lakh cusecs. The Jaikwadi dam in the state was filled upto 94 per cent capacity and the release from the dam stood at 58,000 cusecs at present.

UNI JM MAZ PA DB1831