Pune rains: Heavy rains wreaked havoc in Maharashtra's Pune city where at least four persons died in rain-related incidents on Thursday, while low-lying areas were inundated. In addition, the city is on red alert today and is expected to witness heavy to very heay rains till 29 July.
1. The Regional Meteorological Centre in Mumbai said that extremely heavy rains at isolated places in ghat areas is expected today while moderate rains in the plain areas.
2. The Meteorological Centre has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in ghat areas tomorrow while light to moderate rain in plains.
3. District Collector Suhas Diwase announced that all schools and colleges will remain closed today i.e. on July 26. In the order issued, he wrote, “Bhor, Velha, Maval, Mulshi, Khadakwasla area of Haveli taluka, Khed, Ambegaon, schools on Junnar Ghat medium and all medium schools and colleges in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad cities dated 26 Holiday must be declared on July 2024.”
4. He also said, “However, during this period, all principals, teachers and non-teaching staff must attend the school during office hours and carry out disaster management operations as per the orders of the local administration.”
5. Today, these three trains are cancelled.
Train No. 12124 Deccan Queen Express — Scheduled to depart from Pune at 07:15 am on Friday for CSMT.
Train No. 12126 PRAGATI Express — Scheduled to depart from Pune at 07:50 am on Friday for CSMT.
Train No. 12128 Intercity Express — Scheduled to depart from Pune at 5:55 pm for CSMT.
6. Earlier on Thursday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar visited flood-affected areas in Ekta Nagar and Vitthal Nagar of Pune city to take stock of the situation. After his visit, he said, “There was never such an issue of waterlogging or flooding here in these areas but we don't know why it happened this time. We will talk to the locals and ask what they have to say about it. I spoke to them. We will speak to the technical team on this issue on what can be done next and take a further decision. For records and observations, the collector of the city, the commissioner of police and one official from the revenue department and the municipal corporation will come and do the needful.”
7. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took to X and said that water discharge from Koyna dam in Satara and Khadakwasla dam in Pune was expected to increase due to incessant rains in the catchment areas and instructed the officials concerned to take necessary action. In his post, he also added that the state government was in touch with its counterpart in Karnataka on the Almatti Dam there so that flooding in Sangli and parts of Kolhapur can be avoided.
8. On Thursday, reports emerged of two individuals being trapped in one of three bungalows buried under debris from a landslide in Lavasa. Additionally, Pune fire brigade officials mentioned that two people are feared drowned in the Katraj and Nayan Peth areas, though no further details were provided, as reported by PTI.
9. Officials informed PTI that approximately 400 individuals were evacuated to safety yesterday after continuous rains caused flooding on Sinhagad Road and other areas along the riverbank in Pune city.
10. IMD issued a red alert in 2 states including Maharashtra and Goa and warned against heavy precipitation on July 26. An orange alert has been issued by the IMD for Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Gujarat.
(With inputs from PTI)
