Heavy rains kill eight in Maharashtra, disrupt life across Karnataka

Business Standard

9 hours ago

At least eight persons were killed, mostly due to lightning strikes, as heavy rains pummelled parts of Maharashtra, officials said on Sunday.
The weather department has issued a red alert for the coastal districts of Ratnagiri and Raigad and an orange alert for Palghar, Thane, and Sindhudurg, and ghat areas of Pune, Satara and Kolhapur, they said.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been stationed for rescue operations.
As per the state disaster management report, Ratnagiri recorded the highest rainfall at 88.1 mm, followed by Raigad with 65.3 mm, Sindhudurg with 43.8 mm, Thane with 29.6 mm, and Yavatmal with 27.5 mm, in 24 hours ending at 11 am.
According to authorities, eight people have lost their lives, and 10 have suffered injuries in different parts of the state.
Fatalities, mostly due to lightning strikes, were reported in Mumbai, Sindhudurg, Dhule, Nashik, Sambhajinagar, Nandurbar, and Amravati, they said.
Among major rivers in the Konkan region, the Jagbudi River in Ratnagiri district is flowing above the warning level, and Khed, Alsure, Chinchghar and Prabhuwadi villages on its banks may be affected if the water level rises, the disaster management report stated.
Karnataka waterlogging
Heavy rains also disrupted normal life in several parts of Karnataka, while waterlogging and landslides affected different parts of the state.
While coastal Karnataka is battered due to torrential rains, the Krishna River is in spate in Yadgir district due to the downpour in neighbouring Maharashtra.
According to the India Meteorology Department (IMD), different parts of the Dakshina Kannada district received 110 to 210 mm of rainfall in 24 hours.
Mangaluru, the district headquarters town of Dakshina Kannada, recorded 170 mm of rain, while Panambur observatory in the same district recorded 210 mm of rain. The neighbouring Udupi district too got 50 mm of rain.
Widespread rainfall across coastal Karnataka has disrupted normal life there, with waterlogging reported from several urban pockets of Mangaluru. A landslide occurred near Kettikallu along National Highway-169, in Mangaluru taluk.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert on Sunday, forecasting thunderstorms with lightning in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu districts.
In Mangaluru, areas such as Pumpwell, Bikarnakatte, Kaikamba, and Kankanady experienced waterlogging due to inadequate stormwater drainage. Residents reported rainwater entering their houses, commercial buildings, and roads in low-lying areas, leading to traffic disruptions and property damage.
At Pumpwell, a main traffic intersection in Mangaluru city, heavy inundation persisted on Sunday as the stormwater drains overflowed at this place, slowing down traffic considerably. Buses coming from Bengaluru have taken a detour via Nanthur Circle after taking a diversion at Padil.
Rainwater flooded along the road at the Jayashree Gate--Bikarnakatte stretch, exposing the absence of proper drainage infrastructure. Residents alleged that complaints to the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) have not resulted in a lasting solution.
Meanwhile, vehicular movement on NH-169 was affected after a portion of the road near Kettikallu in Belthangady taluk was blocked due to a landslide. Authorities said no casualties were reported. Works to clear the road and restore traffic are underway.
Municipal officials in Mangaluru said emergency response teams have been deployed to clear clogged drains and monitor vulnerable zones. However, residents demanded long-term measures, including the desilting of drains and the construction of effective rainwater channels.
The IMD has predicted continued rainfall along the Karnataka coast in the coming days. District administrations of the coastal district and Chikkamagaluru have advised the public to avoid waterlogged and landslide-prone areas. They urged people to report emergencies to local disaster response units.
Many places in Udupi, including Brahmavar, Gundibail, Kalsanka, Ambagilu, Kolalagiri, and KG Road, were flooded. Carriage roads and service roads alongside National Highway 66 also experienced flooding. Villages like Heroor, Haladi, Kumbashi, Thekkatte, and adjoining places in Kundapur taluk also experienced heavy flooding, according to police.
In Yadgir district, 52 thousand cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water were released from Basavasagar Dam into the Krishna River.
Authorities opened 14 gates of the dam in Narayanpur in Yadgir district due to the heavy inflow.
The dam with 33.33 Thousand Million Cubic feet (TMC feet) of storage capacity had 28.20 TMC feet of water when reported.
According to sources, there is an inflow of 45 thousand cusecs.
The dam presented a mesmerising view as its sluice gates were opened and the water gushed out with a roar.