Rains fury continues: 20,000 evacuated in Maharashtra; Karnataka's situation grim
Heavy rains continued to wreak havoc in several states on Thursday, and the condition is unlikely to improve today. In Maharashtra, more than 20,000 people were taken to safer places, and in neighboring Karnataka, several places were flooded due to the downpour and also because of the water released from key dams. Meanwhile, Telangana received a little respite. Here are more details.
Death toll mounts to 50 in Telangana
Telangana witnessed the worst downpour in decades, with streets in the capital Hyderabad being flooded, and people getting washed away by strong water currents. By Thursday evening, the death toll due to torrential rains was pegged at 50. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said the state suffered damages to the tune of Rs. 5,000 crore, and sought immediate Rs. 1,350 crore relief from the Centre.
As rains paused, relief work continued, thousands taken to camps
As the skies remained a little clearer on Thursday, rescue operations continued in Telangana. Water started receding from several parts of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits. State Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar informed that relief teams were engrossed in pumping out water from flooded regions. Nearly 44,000 were accommodated in 64 relief camps and 45,000 food packets were distributed.
Power cut for over 40 hours troubled residents in Hyderabad
Heavy rainfall on Tuesday resulted in a power cut in areas like Ramanthapur, Rasoolpura, Tarnaka, Shaikpet, Abids. Residents complained that power wasn't restored even after 40 hours. J Srinivas, Director (Operations) at Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL), claimed of the 12,000 complaints, 95% were resolved by Thursday morning. Power would be restored in other areas after safety checks, he told TOI.
27 rain-related deaths in Maharashtra; Pune sees heavy rainfall
After Telangana, the states which were pounded by incessant rains were Karnataka and Maharashtra. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) declared yesterday that heavy to very heavy rainfall for two days is expected in the ghats of Maharashtra, Konkan, and south Gujarat. Pune, Solapur, Sangli, Satara, and Kolhapur also witnessed heavy rainfall. 27 people lost their lives in Maharashtra, reports PTI.
Mumbai saw heaviest rainfall in October in a decade
In capital Mumbai, water-logging, triggered by heavy rainfall, was reported from several areas. The maximum city recorded its highest 24-hour October rains in a decade on Thursday. By 8:30 am yesterday, the IMD's Santacruz weather observatory recorded 86.5 mm of rain and Colaba observatory 115.8 mm. On October 20, 2010, the observatory in Santacruz had recorded 21.9 mm of rainfall.
Intensity of rainfall could reduce from Saturday
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a review meeting where he asked the administration, as well as, Army, Navy, and Air Force to remain on high alert. His office said NDRF teams were deployed at Osmanabad, Solapur, Pandharpur, and Baramati. Rainfall along with thunderstorms is predicted in Ratnagiri, Raigad, Sindhudurg, Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Nashik, Pune, Kolhapur, Satara, and Sangli districts for today.
Water gushed in Karnataka homes as floodgates were opened
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, places like Yadgir, Raichur, Ballari, Bidar, Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Belagavi, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Gadag, Koppal, Haveri and Dharwad, remained the worst-affected. The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre said floodgates of major dams were unlocked, and this led to flooding in a number of low-lying villages. 515 animals reportedly died while 4,782 people were shifted to relief camps.
