21 dead as heavy rains pound Maharashtra

At least 21 people have been killed and 11 missing in various rain-related incidents in Pune, Jalgaon and Nashik since late Wednesday, officials said here yesterday.According to the state and district disaster management authorities, at least five persons were washed away in flood waters in the Khed-Shivapur area on Pune-Bengaluru highway. Three bodies were recovered from a well in the downstream region early yesterday and a search is on for the others.A building compound wall crashed in Arnyshwar Complex killing six more, while some others were feared trapped under the debris. While two bodies have been recovered, search is on for the remaining.Caught in a thunderstorm, six people were killed as they took refuge under a tree in Jalgaon, a Maharashtra Disaster Control Authority official said.Two people were found dead in cars that were washed away in the flood waters in Kondwa and Saswad areas.An autorickshaw driver was electrocuted in a flooded area of a village on the outskirts of Nashik yesterday, police said.As flood waters rose, more than 15,000 people were evacuated from Baramati, and others from different areas like Sinhgad, Dhanakwadi, Balajinagar, Ambegaon, Sahakar Nagar, Parvati Nagar, Kolhewadi and Kirkatwadi.In many areas, residents took refuge on the upper floors or terrace as flood waters gushed into ground floor residences.Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in Baramati and Pune, while another team was on its way to Baramati and that the flood situation is being closely monitored.Fadnavis also spoke with Baramati legislator and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and promised help for the flood-affected. State Congress president Balasaheb Thorat said a very grim situation has arisen due to the Pune floods and has resulted in loss of lives.“I urge the state government to take immediate measures to bring relief to the people in this crisis,” Thorat said.Since Wednesday night, Pune city and its district has been lashed by more than 16cm of torrential downpour, with forecast of more rain.Officials said this was a record rainfall for the district in the past 10 years, leading to flooding many areas in a very short period.Normal life has been crippled in the state’s cultural, academic and IT capital since Wednesday as most people preferred to remain indoors under heavily overcast skies and non-stop rain.An estimated 200-plus big and small vehicles were washed away in the floods in the city and outskirts, besides tonnes of rubbish piling up in different areas.