Pune, 25 July

Heavy and incessant rains wreaked havoc in Maharashtra's Pune, where at least four people died in rain-related incidents on Thursday, while several houses and residential societies in low-lying areas in the city were inundated, following which people are being evacuated, officials said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a 'red alert' for Pune district and asked people to take precautions. Schools and colleges in most parts of the district have declared a holiday in view of the heavy rainfall warning, they said.

Pune city and other parts of the district, including Velha, Mulshi, Bhor talukas and the catchments areas of several dams, including Khadakwasla, have been witnessing incessant rains since Wednesday night.

In the city, housing societies in the low-lying areas, such as Sinhagad Road, Bavdhan, Baner and Deccan Gymkhana, witnessed flooding and inundation and efforts have been launched by the fire brigade and disaster management cell of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to evacuate the stranded people, the officials said. Pune district collector Suhas Diwase said that in the wake of heavy rains in the Khadakwasla dam's catchment area, water has been released from the reservoir.

"As the catchment areas of Khadakwasla dam has been witnessing incessant rains, water is being released at over 35,000 cusec and it will further increase to 45,000 cusec. Due to the water discharge, several low lying areas along the Mutha river witnessed inundation and flooding," he said. Four people lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Pune, officials said.

While three men died of electrocution in Deccan area of the city while trying to move their handcart, on which they used to sell egg dishes, got submerged due to heavy rains, one person died and another one sustained injuries in a landslide in Tahmini ghat section in Mulshi tehsil, district officials said. "One person died while another sustained injuries after a landslide on a small eatery in Tahmini ghat in Mulshi tehsil," inspector Manoj Yadav of Paud police station said.

The district administration and local police are engaged in the task removing the debris from the road, he said adding that after removing it the road will be open for the vehicular movement.

In another incident, three people are feared trapped in a bungalow in Lavasa area after mudslide, police said. Considering heavy rainfall in the 'ghat' (mountain pass) sections of Khed, Junnar, Ambegaon, Velha, Mulshi, Maval, Bhor, Haveli talukas and Pimpri Chinchwad as well as Pune city area, a holiday has been for schools.

"As a precautionary measure, the disaster management cells and teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed at the low lying areas, where flooding and inundation is anticipated," he said.

Diwase appealed to step out of homes unless it is very important. The IMD has given a red alert for Pune district for the next 24 hours, he said.

Meanwhile, 29 tourists who were stranded due to flooding at resorts and bungalows in Malavli area near Lonavala hill station in the district were evacuated on Wednesday evening, a police official said. Deputy Chief Minister and Pune Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar took stock of the rain situation and instructed the district authorities and the civic administration to provide all the help to the citizens.