In the wake of a red alert issued by the weather bureau for extremely heavy rain in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and a couple of other areas in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday reviewed the administration’s preparedness to deal with the situation. He also instructed the Air Force, Navy and Army to be ready to provide early relief to the people affected by the heavy rain.
Four teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have already been deployed at Osmanabad, Solapur, Pandharpur and Baramati. The weather bureau has issued an orange alert for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds and very heavy rain in parts of western Maharashtra and Konkan.
India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Mumbai centre Deputy Director General KS Hosalikar, in a tweet, said, "Well marked low pressure area now is over south and central Maharashtra. It is very likely to move west/north west and emerge into Arabian Sea off the state coast and intensify into a depression off Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts the next 48 hours. It is very likely to move gradually west/north west and intensify further." The state is likely to receive heavy showers till Friday.
Thackeray has instructed the district administration to immediately conduct the panchnama of the damage caused to crops and houses. He asked the administration to provide government assistance to the kin of the six who died because of a wall collapse following heavy rain in Kumbhar Ghat, Pandharpur. He has also asked the Chief Secretary, Disaster Management Cell and Home Department to remain on vigil and coordinate relief and rehabilitation.
In addition, revenue, agriculture and relief and rehabilitation departments have been instructed to provide aid to the affected people.
According to the state disaster management control room, Pune, Solapur, Osmanabad, Beed and Latur received heavy rain. Almost all reservoirs in Pune district are full and water has been discharged from Jayakwadi and Majalgaon dams.
