Maharashtra floods: Five teams of NDRF airlifted to Pune

According to ANI, NDRF has rescued over 3,000 and 2, 900 people from Kolhapur and Sangli district, respectively. Pic courtesy/ Chaitraly Deshmukh

Five teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were airlifted from Punjab for the rescue operations in the flood-hit state of Maharashtra, sources stated on Thursday. The teams will arrive in Pune and spread to flood-affected areas of Kolhapur and Sangli. Till now, the National Disaster Response Force has rescued over 3,000 and 2, 900 people from Kolhapur and Sangli district, respectively.

According to an official statement Deepak Mhaisekar, the Divisional Commissioner of Pune Division, seven in Satara, four people have died in Pune, two in Kolhapur, two in Sangli and one in Solapur. A total of 1,32,360 people from 28,397 families have been evacuated from flood-affected areas in these districts, it stated. Incessant rains in several parts across the state of Maharashtra have resulted in a massive flood-like situation. Rescue and relief operations are underway on a war footing in the rain-affected areas of the state.

Also Read: Kolhapur flood: 51,000 people affected, Navy teams deployed for rescue operation

Google map view of Pune

The flood situation due to heavy downpour has worsened in western Maharashtra's Sangli with water entering the district prison, forcing authorities to shift prisoners to its upper floor, an official stated on Thursday. Following heavy rains in Sangli, the district jail premises on Wednesday, housing around 370 inmates, got inundated. "Currently there is nearly knee-level water in barracks on the ground floor. We have shifted all inmates to barracks on the first floor. So far, there is no need to shift the inmates out of the jail," Sunil Ramanand, the Additional Director General (Prisons) stated. Around 1.32 lakh flood-affected people till Wednesday, in Pune region comprising districts of Pune, Solapur,
Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur) were shifted to safer places, said Deepak Mhaisekar, the Pune divisional commissioner.

Also Read: Pune rains: Heavy rains in the past 72 hours creates flood-like situation

Google map view of Sangli in Maharashtra

Sixteen deaths were reported in flood-related incidents from western Maharashtra in the last one week, another official said on Wednesday. "The road communication between Sangli and Kolhapur and between Kolhapur and Belgaum (in Karnataka) has been affected," he said, adding that people should avoid traveling on Mumbai-Bengaluru national highway (NH 4). 2,500 people were moved to safer places in the temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district, after the discharge of water from Ujani dam increased, he said.

In Satara, the flood situation was grim in Karad, Wai and Mahabaleshwar hill town and 6,000 people were evacuated. "All dams in the region are overflowing and the MeT department has predicted continuous rains for next few days. So if the catchment areas of dams receive more rain, the possibility of more floods cannot be ruled out," he said.

With inputs from ANI, PTI

Also Read: Maharashtra rains: Schools, colleges to remain closed in Kolhapur; floods in Pune

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