Maharashtra is on high alert as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis warns of a potential cloudburst in Nashik and continuous heavy rainfall until July 8, urging citizens to exercise caution and stay indoors amidst widespread disruptions and fatalities.
Key Points
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has issued a high alert for the state, warning of a possible cloudburst-like event in Nashik on Tuesday and continuous heavy rains until July 8.
- Citizens are advised to avoid unnecessary travel, and private companies are urged to implement work-from-home advisories due to the severe weather conditions.
- Major rivers, including the Savitri, have exceeded danger levels, and multiple landslides, including a significant one on the Mumbai-Goa Highway, have disrupted traffic.
- The annual Wari pilgrimage has been impacted, with devotees advised to travel directly to Pune instead of gathering at Dehu and Alandi due to submerged bridges.
- Thirteen persons have been killed in rain-related incidents over the past three to four days, and the MeT office has issued a 'red' alert for heavy rains.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday warned of a possible cloudburst-like spell in Nashik on Tuesday, and said that the state machinery has been put on high alert as heavy rains are expected to continue until July 8.
Addressing a press conference after reviewing the flood situation at the state disaster management control room, the chief minister urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and stay off the roads, as authorities worked to manage landslides, swollen rivers, and rescue operations.
Cloudburst Warning and State Preparedness
"The weather situation till July 8 requires constant monitoring. There is a possibility of a cloudburst-like event in parts of Nashik tomorrow. We are keeping a close watch on the situation, and all agencies have been alerted," he said.
Fadnavis said some stretches of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Expressway had been closed after water accumulated at construction sites and restoration work was underway, while in Palghar district, another high tide expected later in the day could aggravate waterlogging if rainfall resumes.
Impact on Infrastructure and Pilgrimage
Fadnavis reported that heavy rainfall in the Western Ghats and Raigad district has caused major rivers, including the Savitri, to exceed danger levels. While desilting efforts helped prevent floodwaters from entering nearby towns, landslides have severely disrupted traffic.
He said that a massive landslide near Kashedi Ghat on the Mumbai-Goa Highway and seven other landslides triggered by unprecedented rainfall had disrupted traffic, and debris was being cleared on priority to restore traffic.
The chief minister described the landslide on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as "an unprecedented event", saying nearly 100 tonnes of debris had fallen at a location where such incidents had never occurred before.
Around 70 tonnes of debris had already been removed, three lanes towards Pune had been reopened, and work was progressing to restore traffic towards Mumbai, he said.
Fadnavis said authorities were also closely monitoring Satara and Kolhapur amid rising river levels.
Regarding the annual Wari pilgrimage, the chief minister advised devotees not to gather at Dehu and Alandi, as all four bridges over the Indrayani River are submerged.
Instead, pilgrims are encouraged to travel directly to Pune, where the government has arranged large temporary hangars to accommodate them.
In Palghar, residents of downstream villages are being evacuated after part of a small dam was damaged, he said.
Emergency Response and Public Advisory
Fadnavis further said that the State Disaster Management Control Room and the BMC control room were functioning round the clock, while NDRF teams had been pre-positioned in vulnerable areas based on weather forecasts and SDRF teams were redeployed according to the latest alerts.
He said that a decision on the closure of schools and colleges would be taken after reviewing the latest weather inputs later in the day.
He also urged private companies to implement the state's work-from-home advisory, saying employers should respond to weather alerts "from a humanitarian point of view".
Addressing Allegations and Rain-Related Fatalities
The chief minister dismissed allegations of corruption regarding infrastructure projects, maintaining that there was no structural failure on the connecting link and that traffic disruptions were caused by landslides on adjoining hills.
He slammed state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal for alleging corruption in the infra projects, stating that in 2013, the then chief minister from the Congress listed 13 reasons why the connecting link cannot be built and closed the file, but it was the Mahayuti government that took a decision and completed the project.
The Maharashtra legislative council was adjourned for the day on Monday in view of the heavy rainfall in Mumbai and neighbouring areas.
Before the Upper House was adjourned, Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan said Mumbai and neighbouring Palghar and Raigad districts have witnessed a record-breaking rainfall, and 13 persons were killed in rain-related incidents in the last three to four days.
The MeT office has issued a 'red' alert, forecasting heavy rains over the next two days, Mahajan said.
On Sunday, six persons were killed after a chawl collapsed in Mumbai's Mankhurd area following heavy rains.
Two persons died in tree collapse incidents in Mumbai over the last two days, while an 11-year-old boy was killed after a tree uprooted and fell onto a moving school bus on June 30.
Railway Commute Affected
Train services on the busy Mumbai-Pune route were suspended early Monday after heavy rains triggered landslides in the Karjat-Lonavala Bhor Ghat section, officials said.
The Central Railway also suspended local train services between Karjat and Khopoli in Raigad district after heavy rain washed away the ballast (gravel bed supporting the tracks) between Lowjee and Dolavli stations, they said.
Some parts of Palghar district recorded nearly 300 mm of rainfall in just two hours, worsening the situation by 9 am.
Heavy rain and severe waterlogging also paralysed Western Railway (WR) operations, leaving more than 20 long-distance trains stranded across various stations in Mumbai and south Gujarat, as per officials.
More than 40 services were impacted, with at least eight trains rescheduled, 10 cancelled, and several others diverted or short-terminated due to heavy rain, waterlogging and a landslide, a WR spokesperson said.
Both houses of the state legislature were adjourned in view of the heavy showers, while the Bombay High Court assured that no adverse orders would be passed if lawyers were unable to reach the court.
Before the adjournment, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the assembly that extreme rainfall was a "force majeure" situation beyond human control, but with public cooperation, such emergencies could be handled more effectively. "The entire disaster management machinery, municipal corporations and other agencies are on the ground. We are in alert mode," he added.
The State Disaster Management Authority advised private offices in Mumbai to allow employees to work from home and announced a half-day for non-essential and semi-government offices.
Traffic movement was less on roads as a holiday was declared for schools, and many people opted to work from home.
