Maharashtra: Rain takes a break, Kolhapur, Sangli breathe easy for now

With rain slowing down and discharge from Koyna dam reduced, the flood situation in Kolhapur and Sangli districts is under control, officials said Saturday. In Sangli, 42,573 people living in low lying areas have been shifted to safer places, while in Kolhapur, 40,882 have been moved to relief camps.

“Krishna river is flowing at 49 feet mark at Irwin bridge in Sangli. This is above the danger mark of 45 feet. On Friday, it was flowing at the danger level of 45 feet which it breached this morning. Water has entered the low lying areas but we have already shifted the residents from there,” Sangli District Collector Abhijit Chaudhary told The Indian Express.

The collector said two NDRF teams have been deployed in the district, particularly in Walva taluka where scores of stranded residents have been rescued so far.

Around 41,000 people living along the Krishna river and in the low-lying areas have been shifted so far. “We have shifted some of them to our relief camps while many of the residents and villagers have gone to their relatives’ places,” Chaudhary said.

Stating that the situation was under control, the collector said, “As of now, things are under control. We don’t expect a repeat of the 2019 flood situation, but we are keeping a close watch.”

In 2019, the Krishna river had reached the 53-feet mark. “By evening, if it rains, the chances of the river reaching the 53 mark cannot be ruled out,” officials said.

The Disaster Management Centre in Kolhapur.

In Kolhapur, the district administration said the rain has taken a break after four days and the water level in Panchganga river has gone down. “At 7 am Saturday, Panchganga was flowing at 55-feet mark, and by noon, it was flowing at 54-feet at Rajaram barrage, which was way above its mark of 44 feet” a district official said.

Officials said the discharge from Koyna dam in Satara, which had reached 52,000 cusecs mark on Friday, has reduced to 48,000 cusecus. “The rain has taken a break. Radhanagari dam is 93 per cent full. Discharge from Koyna dam has been reduced. The discharge from Almatti dam in Karnataka has been stepped up to three lakh cusecs, which has helped in keeping the Panchganga water level from rising,” officials said, adding that as many as 104 wires are under water.

District Guardian Minister Satej Patil said villagers along the Panchganga river have been moved to safer ground.

On the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway, there is a long queue of stranded vehicles since yesterday. Officials said the highway stretches have been submerged in water at Uchgaon, Kognoli and other places.

Civic officials said Panchganga river water has entered several parts of the city.