In the last 24 hours, the district has been receiving incessant rainfall, with Gaganbawda taluka reporting more than 300 mm of rain. (Representational)

A year after heavy rain triggered floods that affected thousands in Kolhapur district, incessant rain in the past few days and increasing levels of all major rivers have reignited fears of a similar calamity.

In the last 24 hours, the district has been receiving incessant rainfall, with Gaganbawda taluka reporting more than 300 mm of rain. Catchment areas of dams on Warna, Panchganaga, Dudhganga, Vedganga and other rivers have seen heavy rainfall, which has led to discharge from the dams. More than 90 dams have already been submerged, with more such instances reported as rains continue.

The district administration has started evacuating some villages located near the flood lines of local rivers. Local residents have been urged to move to higher grounds or to safer locations, as the Panchganaga river is expected to breach its high flood line.

Residents of two villages in Karveer taluka, which are extremely vulnerable to floods, have been moved. Multiple companies of the NDRF have been stationed along the riverside.

To add to the woes of the district administration, majority of large government institutions are now being used to house Covid-19 patients, or have been converted to institutional quarantine centres. The district administration now has to figure out alternate temporary centres to house those evacuated in the heavy rain.