IT Correspondent
Mumbai, Aug 31:
After a let- up for about a fortnight, the rains returned with thunder affecting many parts of Maharashtra, including the Chalisgaon taluka of Jalgaon in North Maharashtra, in its fury on Tuesday.
The heavy rainfall which began on Monday night resulted in heavy flooding in several villages affecting livestock. The Chalisgaon taluka was submerged in water and over 800 cattle were reportedly drowned in the floodwater.
Speaking to the “Transcontinental Times”, MLA Mangesh Chavan said that 7 to 8 villages in the Chalisgaon taluka suffered heavy damage. While the cattle in large number were drowned, there was a possibility of 5 to 6 people swept away in the flood water since local Dongri and Titur rivers were in spate. The water seeped into Waghdu, Vakdi, Rokde, Wagle, and Bangaon villages throwing normal activities out of gear since the roads were submerged and became inaccessible.
Out of 14 medium capacity dams, 10 dams were overflowing, Main market, Dargah locality, and adjoining areas were inundated even as over 546 mm rainfall was recorded in the last 24 hours. The Chalisgaon lies between Aurangabad (Marathwada) and Nashik (North Maharashtra). Tehsildar Amol More said that the stranded people are being shifted to nearby A B High school and a team of State Disaster Relief Force has already been engaged in rescue and relief operations.
A cloud burst was reported in the Patnadevi locality of Chalisgaon and resultantly a landslide occurred in neighbouring Kannad Ghat (Aurangabad). The vehicular traffic came to a standstill since the Dhule-Aurangabad-Solapur highway was blocked. Many vehicles were reportedly trapped in the Knnad Ghat. Consequently, the traffic was diverted via Nandgaon-Sillod to Jalgaon.
A cloud burst was also reported from the Nanded district in Marathwada region and two women swept away in a heavy flow of water even as the Shahajani bridge was broke down. In Parbhani in Marathwada, six villages became inaccessible. In Beed district the Manikarnika river was in spate. Akola in Vidarbha region also received heavy rainfall.
Similarly, the Konkan region including Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Dahanu, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg received heavy rainfall since Monday night. In Mumbai, two persons were injured in a landslide at Asalpha Village in Ghatkopar in Northeast Mumbai.
In the meanwhile, the Indian Meteorology Depart (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall in Konkan, Central Maharashtra, Marathwada, and North Maharashtra in the next 24 hours and inclement weather till September 05.
