MUMBAI, Aug 20: At least six people have lost their lives and hundreds have been displaced as torrential rains battered several districts of Maharashtra over the past two days, triggering floods, road blockages and widespread crop damage, officials said on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who reviewed the situation with the disaster management department, said the next 48 hours would be critical for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, which remain on high alert.
The administration is monitoring the situation closely, overseeing evacuations from low-lying areas and coordinating rescue operations, an official from the state control room said. More than 290 people have already been rescued from flood-hit villages in Nanded district, where SDRF and Army teams have been deployed.
Weather conditions and forecast
Meteorologists attributed the heavy downpour to a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal and the strengthening of monsoon winds. “The system has activated a trough from north Konkan to Kerala, resulting in very heavy to extremely heavy rains over Konkan, central Maharashtra and the ghats, while the rest of the state is receiving moderate showers,” said S D Sanap, senior scientist at IMD Pune.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast intense rainfall in Konkan, including Mumbai, and parts of central Maharashtra over the next two days. An orange alert has been issued for Marathwada and Vidarbha, which is likely to be scaled down to yellow later this week as rainfall intensity decreases.
Agricultural impact and loss
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said incessant rainfall has submerged nearly 10 lakh hectares of agricultural land across the state. A damage assessment will be undertaken once the rains subside, he added.
District-wise situation
In Gadchiroli, heavy rains since Monday evening have inundated low-lying areas and cut off over 50 villages in Bhamragad taluka after the Perlkota River overflowed, forcing closure of the Bhamragad–Allapalli Highway. A 19-year-old youth from Kodpe village was swept away while crossing a swollen stream, officials said.
In Washim, rivers have been in spate for the fourth consecutive day, damaging thousands of hectares of kharif crops.
In western Maharashtra, the Radhanagari dam in Kolhapur released 11,500 cusecs of water into the Bhogavati River, causing the Panchganga to flow above danger level for the fifth time this season. The Kolhapur–Ratnagiri Highway remained closed for several hours due to landslides. Heavy discharge from the Chandoli Dam also increased water levels in the Warna River, prompting alerts in downstream villages.
The Koyna Dam in Satara district began a controlled release of water into the Koyna River on Tuesday, with towns like Karad put on alert for possible rise in river levels, officials from the water resources department said.
In Konkan, Raigad district recorded over 160 mm rainfall in Roha taluka on Monday, pushing the Kundalika and Savitri Rivers above danger marks. The district administration declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Tuesday, while road connectivity in Mahad and Nagothane was hit by landslides and flooding.
Rescue and relief efforts
Rescue teams from the SDRF, NDRF and Army are active in vulnerable areas across the state. Officials have urged citizens to remain indoors unless essential travel is unavoidable, warning that river levels in Konkan and Vidarbha may rise further amid the continuing downpour.
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