Pune rains: 17 people killed in rain-related mishap, 16,000 rescued; schools, colleges remain shut

As many as 17 people were killed in various incidents of flooding and wall collapse in Pune city and parts of the district on Thursday. Nearly 16,000 people from several water-logged areas were shifted to safer places so far following heavy showers in the district on Wednesday, according to officials. Five people sleeping at a dargah in Khed-Shivapur village, located on the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway, were washed away after the downpour. Twelve people, including five women, lost their lives in various other rain-related incidents. Of these, five people, including a nine-year-old boy, were killed in incidents of wall collapse in the flooded Aranyeshwar area. One person was found dead near a school in an inundated locality in Sahakar Nagar while body of a 52-year-old man was found in a car washed away near Sinhgad road. Another person was found dead in his car near Katraj, while two others were washed away in Parvati area. Four persons — two in the city and as many in Purandar tehsil— were reported missing, according to the police. “Over 15,000 people from low-lying areas in Baramati were shifted to safer places after water was released from Nazare dam, built on the Karha river near Jejuri,” Superintendent of Police Sandip Patil was quoted as saying by PTI. Besides, more than 500 people stranded in low-lying areas of the city were also rescued. The army also rescued another 300 people, including some stranded on rooftops of their houses and on trees, from Solapur road area. The downpour stopped on Thursday morning, but many houses and residential societies in low-lying areas were still inundated. Condoling the deaths, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the state government was closely monitoring the situation.

Pained to know about the loss of lives in and around Pune due to heavy rains.
My deepest condolences to the families. We are providing all possible assistance needed.
State disaster management officials & control room in continuous touch with Pune collector and PMC.

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) September 26, 2019

Following heavy rains and flooding, Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram has declared a holiday in schools and colleges of Pune city, Purandar, Baramati, Bhor and Haveli Tehsils for Thursday. Three teams of NDRF including one in Baramati and two others in city area have been deployed in the district of search and rescue operation. During the rescue operation Sahkar Nagar, the Fire Brigade officials recovered the bodies from under the debris.

#UPDATE: Fire brigade officials recover one more body, near Sahakar Nagar in Pune. Death toll due to flood, caused by heavy rains in the region, rises to 7. https://t.co/dislf3istB

— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2019

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Several low-lying areas in and around the city were flooded after it witnessed heavy downpour on Wednesday. Water-logging was reported in Sinhgad Road, Dhanakwadi, Balajinagar, Ambegaon, Sahakar Nagar, Parvati, Kolhewadi and Kirkatwadi, said Prashant Ranpise, the chief of Fire Brigade. “Fire Brigade personnel are helping the people stranded in flooded areas,” he said. Earlier on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted severe thunderstorm in Mumbai and adjoining regions of Maharashtra. With inputs from agencies