More than 200 people killed after heavy rains hit Maharashtra, India

Heavy rains and resulting floods and landslides affecting the Indian state of Maharashtra since July 21 have claimed at least 207 lives and left 11 people missing, the state government said Tuesday, July 27, 2021.

The worst-hit district is Raigad, with 95 fatalities and 11 people missing. 45 people were killed in Satara, 35 in Ratnagiri, 12 in Thane, 7 in Kolhapur, 4 in suburban Mumbai, 3 in Pune, and 2 each in Sindhudurg, Wardha, and Akola districts.

The death toll in the state since June 1 has now reached 294.

An official from the disaster management department, said locals are still struggling to expedite the rescue operations because of the difficult terrain and rains.

Heavy rains over the Sahyadri mountains have increased water levels of rivers flowing through the districts of Satara, Sangli, and Kolhapur, forcing more people to evacuate.

As of July 27, a total of 375 178 people have been evacuated, of which 206 619 from Sangli alone.

Over the past 7 days, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescued 3 804 people. Their biggest operations were in Raigad District, where a landslide buried 30 houses (killing 95 people and leaving 11 missing).

From July 1 to 22, Ratnagiri recorded 1 781 mm (77.1 inches) of rain, which is now its highest July rainfall in 40 years. Its monthly rainfall average in July is 972.5 mm (38.2 inches).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Satara District received 1 074.8 mm (42.3 inches) of rain in 48 hours to July 23 — 480.4 mm (18.9 inches) to July 22 and 594.4 mm (23.4 inches) to July 23.

While Sangli district did not experience heavy rainfall, Sangli town and several villages were flooding after heavy discharge of water from a dam on the Koyna river in Satara.

Featured image credit: Divisional Information Office – Kolhapu