Thane/Palghar, Heavy overnight rains lashed Maharashtra’s Palghar district, inundating several towns and villages, leaving many people stranded and prompting authorities to intensify rescue operations, officials said on Thursday.
Event Context
A person was found dead in a nullah, District Collector Indu Rani Jakhar told PTI. The identity of the deceased was yet to be established, she said.
As a precautionary measure, all educational institutions in the district have been ordered to remain closed on Thursday, the collector said.
Team Analysis
In view of the worsening situation, the district administration has requisitioned an additional team from the National Disaster Response Force from the state government, Jakhar said.
“One NDRF team is already deployed in the district and is engaged in rescue operations. We have sought another team to strengthen the ongoing efforts,” she said.
In many flooded localities, residents have taken shelter on upper floors, the collector said.
“In some places, people are stranded on the first floor of their homes. They can be evacuated only after the water level recedes,” she said, adding that even NDRF personnel were finding it difficult to reach the affected areas because of strong currents and extensive flooding.
Palghar Disaster Management Cell chief Vivekanand Kadam told PTI that Dahanu and Talasari talukas are virtually cut off due to incessant rainfall.
Several roads in parts of the district, including Masvan and Saravali, have been submerged, disrupting vehicular movement, he said.
“Our rescue teams are in the field to evacuate stranded residents. Food packets can be supplied to those marooned only after the floodwaters recede sufficiently to allow access,” Kadam said.
Amid heavy rainfall, all educational institutions in Palghar have been directed to stay closed on Thursday, the collector said.
“There has been no major untoward incident so far, but a large number of people remain stranded at different locations. Our immediate priority is to rescue them safely,” she added.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Thane district, several incidents of tree falls were reported following heavy rains, officials said.
An official from the district disaster control room told PTI that fallen trees damaged a few vehicles and houses at different places. No casualties were reported in any of the incidents, they said.
Thane city received 99.32 mm of rains during the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Thursday. This season’s rainfall so far stands at 1893.78 mm, compared to 1270.48 mm last year, said Yasin Tadvi, chief of the regional disaster management cell of the Thane civic body.
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According to the collector, Dahanu and Talasari talukas have been the worst affected, with extensive flooding reported in Dahanu town and several hamlets in Talasari, where hundreds of residents have been marooned.
“A massive rescue and relief operation has been launched. The situation remains precarious in several areas,” she said.
