Four more die in rain-related incidents in Thane district; 856 people evacuated

Commuters wade through a waterlogged road during rainfall in Thane. Pic/PTI

With the death of four more persons in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra's Thane district on Wednesday, the toll since June 1 has gone up to 12, while more than 850 people have been moved to safer places from low-lying areas flooded due to incessant showers in the last two days, an official said.

Two of the deceased were brothers, the official said.

Chief of District Disaster Control Cell Anita Jawanjale said searches were still on for four more persons who are feared drowned in floodwaters in the district.

She said following downpour since the last two days, many low-lying areas were marooned in the district and as many as 261 families comprising 856 people were moved to safer places.

Giving details, Jawanjale said due to rising water level in the Ulhas river, 100 affected families in the Sonivali area of Ambernath town were moved to buildings of state housing agency MHADA.

In addition, 100 members from 25 families in the Kon locality of Bhiwandi town were rescued and moved to an anganwadi (child care centre), the officer said.

She said 105 people from 35 families residing in Ganesh Nagar of Padgha were shifted to an office of Torrent Power.

Likewise, other affected people were accommodated at various places in the district, Jawanjale said.

Since June 1, a dozen houses have been totally destroyed, while 59 other dwellings suffered partial damage due to heavy rains in the district, she said.

Jawanjale said one Sufian Rais Mansuri and his brother Imran went for a swim in the Varna river at Chimbipada in Bhiwandi on Wednesday and drowned. Their bodies were fished out in the evening.

She did not provide details of the other two latest deaths in rain-related incidents.

A road at Moroshi in Murbad town was closed for traffic after a boulder rolled down and fell on it. The boulder was removed in the evening and traffic on the road subsequently restored, the official said.

A bridge at Kalyan has been closed for traffic due to flooding, she added.

Meanwhile, the district administration has put on alert residents of Ambernath and Kalyan towns in view of the Ulhas river crossing the danger mark.

An official release issued in the evening said on account of constant rains in the last few days, the Ulhas river has crossed the danger mark in Ambernath.

As a result, Ulhas river banks in Badlapur, Ambernath, Ulhasnagar and Kalyan are likely to be flooded, the release stated.
The district administration has declared a holiday on Thursday and Friday for school students up to HSC (Class 12), said another release stated.

A boulder crashed on a bypass road between Panvel and Thane amid heavy rainfall, a civic official said.

No one was injured in the incident that took place on Mumbra bypass road around 11.30 am, said Avinash Sawant, chief of the regional disaster management cell (RDMC) of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC).

The civic body said Thane city will receive less water supply in the next three to four days.

As per a release issued by the TMC, the Bhatsa river had swelled due to heavy rainfall this month, as a result of which a lot of silt and dirt has got collected in the jackwell, affecting the flow. This problem has affected the water supply, it said.

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