Pune Weather Alert: IMD Issues Severe Weather Warning

Severe flooding in Pune due to heavy rainfall has prompted the Army to deploy a relief column at Ekta Nagar. This unit, consisting of over 100 personnel including Infantry troops, an engineer task force from Bombay Engineers Group (BEG), and medical staff from Military Hospital, Khadki, is equipped with rescue boats, quadcopters, and essential gear. Their mission is to provide immediate aid and restore normalcy amidst the ongoing heavy rainfall. Additional columns are on standby for further assistance as needed.

Talking to media, Irrigation department executive engineer Shweta Kurhade said, "In all, 10,000 cusecs have been discharged from Varasgaon, 10,500 from Panshet, and 36,000 cusecs from Khadakwasla into the Mutha river." She added that Temghar storage level is at 100 percent, Panshet at 93 percent, Varasgaon at 92 percent and Khadakwasla at 76 percent to create a buffer zone.

Weather Alerts and Rainfall Data

IMD head of the weather forecasting division Dr Medha Khole told Pune Times Mirror that an orange alert has been issued for Pune due to the forecast of moderate to heavy rainfall. A red alert was declared for the western part of Pune district ghat regions adjacent to Konkan, expecting extremely heavy rainfall of 200 mm or more in 24 hours; in the interior part in the plains, the forecast is moderate to heavy showers.

Dr Khole added that a flood-like situation depends on the discharge content from the reservoir; if full capacity is attained then the only option is releasing water into the river. "The Irrigation department will have to take a call on the quantity of discharge depending on rainfall and dam level. Excessive and continuous release floods the low lying areas. From 8.30 am to 11.30 am on Sunday, Shivajinagar received 28.3 mm rainfall," she said.

Dam Storage Levels

The dam storage levels have significantly increased: Temghar went up from 48.61% to 100%; Varasgaon from 53.40% to 92.82%; Panshet from 68.12% to 93%; Mulshi from 56.32% to 95.43%; Pavana from 54.14% to 92.01%; Kasarsai from 76.5% to 87.36%, and Khadakwasla reached its buffer zone level.

Total rainfall status from June 1 compared to July 24 in mm was: Temghar increased from 1,704 mm to 2,624 mm; Varasgaon from 988 mm to 1,681 mm; Panshet from 988 mm to 1,662 mm; Mulshi from 1,561 mm to 2,477 mm; Pavana from 1,222 mm to 2,131 mm; Kasarsai from 483 mm to 786 mm; and Khadakwasla increased from 332 mm to 597 mm.

Replying about the flood situation query Kurhade explained that a red alert has been declared. The district administration and PMC teams are standing by to tackle danger arising out of flooding; Khadakwasla recorded a rainfall of 76 mm.

The Army's swift deployment aims at providing immediate relief and restoring normalcy amidst severe flooding caused by torrential rains in Pune.