Maharashtra rains: All schools to remain closed in Raigad district amid heavy rainfall

Representational Image. Pic/PTI

All schools in Raigad district will remain closed on Monday amid the prediction of heavy rains in the region.

District Collector Raigad, Yogesh Mhase said, "All schools to remain closed in the Raigad district today in view of the heavy rains in the region. IMD has issued Orange Alert for Raigad," reported news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, at least 19 people were killed in rain-related incidents in the last 10 days in parts of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, where nearly 4,500 houses were damaged due to heavy rains, officials told news agency PTI on Sunday.

The downpour in the last few days also affected around 54,000 hectares of agricultural land, of which more than 53,000 hectares is located in the Amravati division alone, where 2,796 people - mostly in Yavatmal district - were shifted to safer places, they said.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the state government was fully alert to tackle issues caused by excessive rains.

In the Nagpur division, Gadchiroli and Bhandara districts witnessed three deaths each, Wardha and Gondia two each and Chandrapur reported one death since July 13, officials said.

The Amravati division recorded five deaths on a single day on July 21 with Yavatmal topping the list with three fatalities, followed by Akola and Buldhana which recorded one death each. On July 22, three persons died in Amravati district after being swept away in flood waters.

Eleven districts in Vidarbha are part of two divisions - Amravati and Nagpur. The Nagpur division comprises Nagpur, Gondia, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Wardha districts, while the Amravati division consists of Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Washim and Buldhana.

Earlier, the rescue operation by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team was called off on Sunday at the landslide-hit Irshalgad in Raigad which claimed 27 lives.

"As decided by District Administration, other senior officials and as briefed by Minister Uday Samant, the rescue operations at Raigad have been called off and closed. Details of missing and the deceased can be obtained from the administration," NDRF said.

A landslide struck the tribal village situated on a hill slope in Khalapur tehsil, Raigad district, approximately 80 km from Mumbai, around 11 p.m. on Wednesday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced that he would adopt the kids who lost both parents in the recent landslide at Irshalwadi village in the Raigad district of the state, said the Shiv Sena.

CM Eknath Shinde also visited the site of the tragedy and took stock of the relief and rescue efforts. He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Maharashtra CM also apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the prevailing situation in his state in the floods and landslides caused by incessant rainfall.

"I apprised the Prime Minister of the prevailing situation following a landslide at Irshalwadi, a tribal village surrounded by the Sahyadri mountains in Raigad district," CM Shinde said after calling on PM Modi.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)