Maharashtra rains: Death toll rises to 105 as most parts continue to receive moderate rains

Mumbai, July 18: The death toll in Maharashtra due to rain-related incidents increased to 105 after one person died in the last 24 hours in the Solapur district due to the collapse of a structure.

The 105 fatalities, recorded between June 1 and July 17, were caused due to floods, lightning strikes, landslides, falling of trees and the collapse of structures.

Flood-like situation prevailed in at least three districts in Maharashtra where rivers are in spate due to heavy rains, while the overall death toll in related incidents since June 1 rose to 105, the state government said on Monday.

Though most parts of Maharashtra continued to receive moderate rains, Ratnagiri, Gadchiroli, and Wardha districts are witnessing flood-like situations due to swollen rivers, the state disaster management department said in a report.

In Mumbai, the rain took a break for the second consecutive day but the sky remained overcast, unlike Sunday.

In most parts of Maharashtra, moderate rain continues and a few districts like Ratnagiri in the Konkan region, and Gadchiroli and Wardha in east Maharashtra are witnessing flood-like situations due to swollen rivers, the report said.

As per the latest data, two villages were affected by heavy rains and one person is missing, while another one is injured. A total of 11,836 citizens have been evacuated so far in Maharashtra due to heavy rains and flooding, but no fresh evacuation was carried out anywhere in the state due to flooding in the last 24 hours, as per the report.

Ratnagiri district has received an average of 15.9 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours ending at 8:30 AM on Monday. Jagbudi river at Chiplun in the district is flowing over the danger mark, it said. Parshuram Ghat on the Mumbai-Goa highway remains closed for traffic between 7 pm to 6 am due to fear of landslides. One-way traffic is allowed in the Anuskura Ghat on the Rajapur-Kolhapur route.

Gadchiroli district in east Maharashtra witnessed an average of 113 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours. Godavari and Indravati rivers are flowing above the danger mark, while Vardha, Pranhita and Vainganga rivers are flowing close to the danger mark, as per the report. A State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team has been deployed in the Gadchiroli district for a search and rescue operation.

10,606 people have been shifted to safer locations in the district and 35 help centres have been set up for them. Wardha district, also in east Maharashtra, recorded an average of 136.4 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours till Monday morning. Due to heavy rainfall, some people have been stuck in flood at Hinganghat, Samudrapur, Selu and Devali in the Wardha district and for their rescue operation, a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and two teams of the SDRF have been deployed.

Mumbai reported 3.8 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours while 8.5 mm of rainfall was recorded in the suburbs in the same period.