Maharashtra rains live update: IMD issues yellow alert for Thane, Palghar; orange for Raigad, Ratnagiri

As torrential rains and flash floods battered Maharashtra's Raigad district over the past few days, a landslide in the Taliye village of Mahad claimed a total of 37 lives, while many are still missing. Even as local workers, officials of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, all came together to rescue the people in the region, there are many who are still waiting to get some information about their missing loved ones. View photos of the rescue operation here

At least 76 people died, 38 others injured and 59 are missing after many areas in Maharashtra were hit by floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday.Raigad district seems the worst-affected by the rain fury where 47 people lost their lives, including 37 in the landslide at Taliye village on Thursday, according to the state disaster management department. Full story here

A teenage boy drowned in a swollen river at Ambernath in Thane district of Maharashtra while his friend is missing, police said on Saturday.The body of Ishan Mohadikar (19) was fished out of the river at Chinchavali on Friday evening by NDRF jawans.The incident occurred on Thursday when Mohadikar and his friend had gone for a swim in the river which is in spate due to heavy rains.

The India Meteorology Department (IMD) on Saturday said rainfall intensity along the west coast is expected to decrease over the next 24 hours, in a much needed relief to rain-battered Maharashtra. "Further reduction in rainfall intensity is very likely along the west coast, including Konkan, Goa and adjoining interior Maharashtra, during the next 24 hours," the IMD said. "Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls (are) very likely to continue over west coast, including Maharashtra, on July 24 and isolated heavy falls thereafter," it said.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said that in view of the incidents of landslide, the state government would come up with a plan to permanently shift and relocate people living in hilly areas.He also said that a policy would be formulated for management of water as parts of the state, especially the western Maharashtra region, witnesses floods during monsoon due to rise in river water levels.Thackeray was speaking to reporters in Taliye village of Raigad district, where a landslide on Thursday evening has claimed at least 37 lives so far. Full story here

The Maharashtra government is considering granting exemptions from coronavirus-induced restrictions to the fully-vaccinated people, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday.Speaking to reporters, Pawar also said the government was mulling an extension of the timings of shops and restaurants from the current deadline of 4 pm. He said a decision on granting relaxations on the weekends is likely next week."The state is thinking of granting relaxations to those people who have got both doses of COVID-19 vaccine. This will encourage citizens to get inoculated," he said. Full story here

Taliye village in Raigad district of Maharashtra was not identified as a landslide-prone area but the tragedy occurred due to excessive rains, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday.Prima facie, at least 37 people lost their lives due to the landslide in the Taliye village on Thursday evening, according to officials.Speaking to reporters, Pawar also said 90,000 people were evacuated to safety so far from nine districts in Maharashtra hit by heavy rains. Full story here

This is what Kolhapur city looked like on July 24 morning. 40,000 people were shifted to safer places in the Kolhapur district as the waters of the Panchganga started to rise. The Panchganga river had crossed the danger mark on Friday morning, triggering fears of a repeat of the 2019 floods. Watch the video here

Shivaji Sutar, CPRO, Central Railway on Saturday informed, "On Sunday, we are announcing mega block on harbour line. As far as the main line is concerned, there was quite a damage between Badlapur, Vangani and Karjat sections, which have been restored. Thus we cancelled mega block on main line section."

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Raigad predicting 'heavy to very heavy rains' at isolated places in ghat areas on Saturday. The weather bureau also predicted a yellow warning for Thane and Palghar districts predicting 'heavy rains at isolated places'.On the other hand, IMD predicted that Mumbai may witness 'light to moderate rains' on Saturday.