Mumbai: At least 58 people stranded at a village in Maharashtra’s Thane district were rescued by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Sunday, an official said.
The people were stuck at their water-logged homes in Ju-Nandkhuri village in Khadavli area of the district since morning after very heavy rains in the area.
On the request of the state government, the IAF deployed a Mi 17 helicopter to rescue the stranded people, a defence spokesperson said. “Around 58 villagers, including 16 children, were rescued and shifted to a safer place,” he said.
Three rescue teams of the Navy were also in touch with the state administration and prepared to render any help required, he said. Two columns of the Army, comprising 120 personnel, were also on way to Thane to help in the rescue efforts, he said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is in Gondia district as part of his ongoing ‘Maha Janadesh Yatra’, thanked the IAF for the quick help.
Fadnavis said there was water-logging in some low- lying areas of Mumbai also. “This happens when there are torrential rains along with high tide. Mumbai’s geography is such that the rain water needs to be pumped out. The situationwill considerably improve after all eight water pumping stations are functional,” he said.
‘Pune rains: Situation might get critical’
Pune received heavy rains on Sunday with district authorities issuing an advisory asking people to be alert as the situation could turn critical, and ordering schools and colleges to be shut on Monday. Low-lying areas in the district were on alert after water was released into the Mutha river on Sunday following incessant rains in the catchment areas of dams supplying water to the city. Later in the day, district collector Naval Kishore Ram said orders had been issued to keep educational institutions here and Pimpri Chinchwad shut on Monday in view of the rains.
He said Mula, Mutha, Pavana, Bhima and Nira rivers were in spate and there was possibility of more water being released from the adjoining dams as catchment areas continued to get heavy rain as on Sunday.
“We have issued an advisory for citizens asking them not to venture out of their houses unless absolutely necessary as the situation might get critical,” Ram said. He said between 2000-2500 people had been rescued so far from flooded areas of the district.
Seven members of a family stranded in a flooded house in Kamshet area were rescued by a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), an official from the agency said. (PTI)
