Heavy rains have caused flooding and devastation in the western states of Maharashtra this week, where flood-like situations so created due to the incessant rainfall have warranted relief operations by the armed forces. 12 rescue teams of Indian Navy were deployed today in Sangli district in addition to the teams already present in Kolhapur.
The rescue teams left for Sangli last night by road after airlift was aborted due to unfavorable weather conditions in Kolhapur and Sangli districts.
Police escorts were also provided a green corridor till Sangli.
As many as 27 people have died due to floods in five districts of Pune division while more than two lakh people have been evacuated to safer places from three districts of Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara.
"27 people died due to floods in 5 district of Pune division in Maharashtra. More than 2 lakh people have been evacuated to safe places till now from 3 districts including Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara," said Deepak Mhaisekar, Divisional Commissioner, Pune Division.
According to a statement by a state government official on Friday, hundreds of villages and a few towns in the affected areas of Maharashtra do not have electricity and drinking water and authorities are trying to restore electricity in some areas.
Fuel was also scarce because some districts had been cut off from the rest of the state, the official said.
Schools and colleges in many parts of western India have been shut since Monday due to the rains and are unlikely to open this week, authorities have said.
Milk and vegetable supplies to India's financial hub, Mumbai, dropped significantly on Friday because many of the affected districts in Maharashtra that have been cut off are major suppliers.