Terrible rains: 13 dead in 4 days

Terrible rains: 13 dead in 4 days; rain to continue till July 8

Posted by Niilesh Waghela

Mumbai: Maharashtra is on high alert as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis warns of a potential cloudburst in Nashik and continuous heavy rainfall until July 8, urging citizens to exercise caution and stay indoors amidst widespread disruptions and fatalities.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday warned of a possible cloudburst-like spell in Nashik on Tuesday, and said that the state machinery has been put on high alert as heavy rains are expected to continue until July 8.

Addressing a press conference after reviewing the flood situation at the state disaster management control room, the chief minister urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and stay off the roads, as authorities worked to manage landslides, swollen rivers, and rescue operations.

Cloudburst Warning and State Preparedness

"The weather situation till July 8 requires constant monitoring. There is a possibility of a cloudburst-like event in parts of Nashik tomorrow. We are keeping a close watch on the situation, and all agencies have been alerted," he said.

Fadnavis said some stretches of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Expressway had been closed after water accumulated at construction sites and restoration work was underway, while in Palghar district, another high tide expected later in the day could aggravate waterlogging if rainfall resumes.

Impact on Infrastructure and Pilgrimage

Fadnavis reported that heavy rainfall in the Western Ghats and Raigad district has caused major rivers, including the Savitri, to exceed danger levels. While desilting efforts helped prevent floodwaters from entering nearby towns, landslides have severely disrupted traffic.

He said that a massive landslide near Kashedi Ghat on the Mumbai-Goa Highway and seven other landslides triggered by unprecedented rainfall had disrupted traffic, and debris was being cleared on priority to restore traffic.

The chief minister described the landslide on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as "an unprecedented event", saying nearly 100 tonnes of debris had fallen at a location where such incidents had never occurred before.

Around 70 tonnes of debris had already been removed, three lanes towards Pune had been reopened, and work was progressing to restore traffic towards Mumbai, he said.

Fadnavis said authorities were also closely monitoring Satara and Kolhapur amid rising river levels.

Regarding the annual Wari pilgrimage, the chief minister advised devotees not to gather at Dehu and Alandi, as all four bridges over the Indrayani River are submerged.

Instead, pilgrims are encouraged to travel directly to Pune, where the government has arranged large temporary hangars to accommodate them.

In Palghar, residents of downstream villages are being evacuated after part of a small dam was damaged, he said.