CM Devendra Fadnavis to pause yatra to review flood situation

The floods may mean CM Devendra Fadnavis halting his 'Maha Janadesh Yatra'. Pic /PTI

With parts of Maharashtra under deluge and waiting for further action in terms of rescue apparatus and planning of relief measures, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will take a break from his state-wide Maha Janadesh Yatra today to preside over a Cabinet meeting in this regard.

The state government's disaster management and relief department will get special directives from the CM who has been in touch with ministers and bureaucrats while touring the interior parts of Vidarbha. On Tuesday, he discussed the natural calamity in the districts of Kolhapur, Sangli, Pune and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (Thane and Palghar districts) with defence minister Rajnath Singh. He sought more NDRF and aviation teams from the air force, navy and coast guards, and army personnel for rescue operations.

Fadnavis had also asked his Karnataka counterpart BS Yediyurappa to increase the quantity of water discharged from the Almatti dam so that the water level of the rivers in western Maharashtra recedes. The Karnataka government has heeded to the request.

10,000 evacuated so far

Heavy rainfall lashed Kolhapur, Sangli and other districts in western Maharashtra over the last two days leading to the deluge that disrupted transport services across the region. Authorities said the Pune-Kolhapur highways had to shut after 30 years because of flooding.

More than 10,000 people were removed to safety from the flood-affected districts. The three wings of armed forces - Coast Guard and NDRF were pressed into service.

"We are facing an unusual situation. This is the worst-ever floods in Kolhapur. Please do not panic. We are taking people to safety," said revenue minister Chandrakant Patil, who is the guardian minister of Kolhapur.

Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara and Pune districts have received over 100 per cent of the season's total expected rainfall.

Mahabaleshwar in Satara district received 326 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours. As a result, the five rivers originating from Mahabaleshwar, including Krishna that flows across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh swelled like never before. Others - Savitri, Koyna, Venna and Gayatri - too looked dangerous.

Apart from western Maharashtra, the Konkan's Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and north Maharashtra's Nashik districts also continued to receive very good rainfall.

"Almost 1,500 families were evacuated and the administration is at work," the CMO said, adding that six teams with navy boats have been sent to Kolhapur by air. For Sangli, four boats of NDRF were sent from Pune.

Rain may continue

The Maharashtra government has also asked Goa for an NDRF team for Dodamarg in Sindhudurg district in view of discharge from Tillari dam. One team has been sent from Raigad. According to the weather bureau, monsoon conditions are still active over the areas that are flooded.

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