WEB DESK

The flood situation in Sangli, Kolhapur and Satara districts of Maharashtra remained critical, as teams from Army, Navy, National Disaster Response Force and Coast Guard, along with local authorities, continued extensive relief efforts.

More than 70,000 people have been moved to safer locations from the affected areas since Tuesday. The Mumbai Bangalore highway, which connects Pune, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur in Maharashtra and Nipani and Belgavi in Karnataka, had to be closed for traffic between Sangli and Kolhapur from 3 am on Tuesday due to flooding of the road from the Panchganga river.

The highway remained inundated at Kolhapur and Karad Today morning, cutting off the three districts of Sangli, Kolhapur and Satara from Pune and Mumbai. Power supply had to be cut off in many parts of the three districts as transformers and feeder pillars were submerged.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis yesterday reviewed the flood situation by video-conferencing with the district collectors. Taking a break from an ongoing mass outreach programme, the Mahajanadesh Yatra, Mr. Fadnavis directed concerned district authorities to make adequate arrangements for food, drinking water and other essential items for the flood-affected people in Kolhapur, Sangli, Raigad and Palghar districts.

In the meeting, Mr. Fadnavis asked officials to ensure availability of sufficient medical teams and all necessary items including medicines. He has also directed for an immediate survey of crop damage in the flood-affected areas.

The chief minister has asked the water resources department to share information on water discharge from dams and other projects with railways regularly.