35,000 people trapped in Kolhapur floods, IMD forecasts heavy rainfall over 48 hours

Incessant rains followed by heavy discharge of water from Radhanagari and Koyana dams in western Maharashtra has led to floods in Sangli and Kolhapur with at least 139 villages marooned over the last 48 hours, the district administration.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to extremely heavy rainfall warning for Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur region on August 7 and 8 which could worsen flood conditions in the western Maharashtra.

In Kolhapur district, the district authorities have evacuated around 15,000 people even as disaster management teams, including those of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were engaged in rescuing an estimated 35,000 people trapped in the floods.

“The NDRF and Navy rescue operations are going on a war footing,” said Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar.

On Wednesday morning, an Avro aircraft of the Navy landed in Kolhapur with a rescue team from the coast guard to assist flood victims. The aircraft which took off from Goa was held up in Ratnagiri on Tuesday due to bad weather, Kolhapur district collector Daulat Desai said.

The stretch of national highway No.4 between Kolhapur and Belgaum was shut for vehicular traffic due to flooding of the highway, Kolhapur Police said.

According to district administration, water levels in the Panchganga river has touched 51 feet and if the prevailing situation continued, it will definitely cross 53 feet mark which was crossed during the 2005 floods.

On Wednesday morning, Koyna dam and Radhanagari dams released 1,20,375 cusecs (cubic feet per second) and 8,856 cusecs of water at 8am leading to heavy flooding in several talukas.