Heavy Rain Causes Havoc in Pune: Four Dead, Schools Shut, and Armed Forces on Alert

Pune July25 2024 : In Pune, heavy rains have led to significant disruptions and tragic incidents, with four people reported dead due to rain-related incidents on Thursday. As a result, Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase has ordered all schools in the city to be closed amid ongoing waterlogging and relentless rain.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Pune, predicting extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas of the ghats and moderate rains in the plains through Friday. The district has already recorded 567.2 mm of rainfall from June 1 to July 24, 2024.

Three of the four reported fatalities occurred due to electrocution from floodwaters in the Pulachi Wadi area of Deccan Gymkhana, while another individual died in a landslide triggered by the rain in Adarwadi village, Maval tehsil, as reported by The Indian Express.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has been in contact with officials to ensure the Indian Air Force and Army are on alert for potential flood relief operations across Pune and other affected regions. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is currently stationed at Mantralaya to coordinate with the officers.

Meanwhile, Mumbai is also experiencing heavy rainfall, leading to the closure of the Andheri Subway due to waterlogging. The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Mumbai, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations until Friday. A forecast issued at 7:00 am on Thursday predicted moderate to intense rain spells with gusty winds reaching 50-60 km/h.

In addition to Mumbai, the districts of Raigad and Ratnagiri are expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall as per IMD’s forecast. Thane and Raigad districts are projected to receive rainfall exceeding 15 mm per hour until 10:00 am on Thursday.

Schools and colleges from Class 1 to 12 in Thane district are closed today due to the heavy rainfall. The North Konkan meteorological subdivision, which includes Mumbai and its surrounding areas, is expected to continue receiving widespread rain until July 30, according to the IMD.