Parts of Maharashtra saw a brief respite from the heavy rainfall over the weekend as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) downgraded Mumbai’s ‘orange’ alert to a ‘yellow’ alert for Monday. However, moderate spells of rain were still expected in Thane, Palghar, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, and Raigad districts. In contrast, Gujarat continued to bear the brunt of heavy showers, leading to a rise in water levels in dams and severe flooding in several districts. The heavy rains in Gujarat caused the water levels in the Sinhan and Ghee dams of Dwarka to overflow after four days of incessant rain.
The situation became critical in various parts of the state, and an ‘orange’ alert was issued by the IMD, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall on July 24. The districts of Dwarka, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, and Valsad were particularly at risk, prompting authorities to take measures to mitigate the impact. The monsoon havoc also brought tragedy to parts of Maharashtra, especially in the Vidarbha region, where 19 people lost their lives in rain-related incidents over the past 10 days. The heavy rains also caused damage to nearly 4,500 houses in the region.
In Raigad district, a landslide occurred on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, disrupting traffic towards Mumbai. Thankfully, no casualties were reported in this incident.As the floodwaters receded in some parts of Gujarat, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) stepped in to rescue trapped individuals. In Mocha village, three people, including a pregnant woman, were rescued from waterlogged areas. However, in Junagadh, severe flooding resulted in the loss of cattle and vehicles in residential areas due to the heavy water flow.
The situation remained grim in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, where heavy rainfall led to severe water-logging, submerging cars in the deluge. The authorities are working tirelessly to restore normalcy in the affected areas and have evacuated around 3,000 people to safer places. Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached out to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to enquire about the flood-like situation and ongoing relief efforts in the state.
The administration is working in full swing to provide aid and support to those affected by the incessant rains and flooding. As the monsoon season continues, authorities in both Maharashtra and Gujarat are closely monitoring the weather situation and taking necessary measures to protect lives and property. The unpredictable nature of the monsoon underscores the importance of preparedness and timely response to minimize damage and loss of life during this critical time.