The death toll from the torrential rains that battered Maharashtra's Pune and Konkan divisions over the last three days and triggered landslides in some areas rose to 112 on Saturday, including 52 in the coastal Raigad district alone, the state government said in a release.
As per the state government's data, about 1 lakh 35 thousand people have been evacuated from the flood-affected areas.
Meanwhile, floodwater has entered the roads and fields, submerging many areas of the Sangli district. Locals of the area are keeping around the clock vigil and alerting the passersby of the rising water levels.
As many as 1,35,313 people have been shifted to safer places including 78,111 in Western Maharashtra's Sangli district followed by 40,882 in Kolhapur district. The Krishna river in Sangli and Panchganga in Kolhapur are in flood though the rains have subsided, officials told PTI. According to reports, the water level of Krishna river rose to 54.5 feet.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 34 teams for rescue operations in the state. Besides, teams of local administration and the Army are engaged in rescue and relief work.
The landslides had occurred on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. President Ram Nath Kovind called Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari during the day and expressed his concern over the loss of life and property in the state due to rains and floods.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each will be given to the kin of the victims, while the Central government has announced Rs 2 lakh each. Besides, ration kits including rice, pulses and kerosene will be distributed in affected areas, he said.
As landslides proved fatal in many parts of the state, the government would come up with a plan to permanently relocate people living in hilly areas, said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
He was speaking to reporters at Taliye village, the site of the deadliest landslide. "People living on hill slopes and hilly areas would be shifted and relocated. A plan would be made to shift small settlements from such places," he said.
Two more landslides took place in the Raigad district, while three took place in Satara district including the one at Ambeghar village. "Flooding is witnessed in Western Maharashtra during monsoon due to rise in water level of rivers. Hence, a policy would be formulated for the management of water in this region,'" the chief minister added. "You will be taken care of. Don't worry," Thackeray told the villagers.
(With inputs from Agencies)
