Flood-like situation continues as Maharashtra CM dials Karnataka counterpart for help

With rain continue to lash several parts of Maharashtra and its adjoining areas and making the flood situation in the state worse, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday urged his Karnataka counterpart B S Yediyurappa to raise the water discharge from Almati dam in order to mitigate the present situation.

The request by Fadnavis has been made as Kolhapur, Sangli, Pune, Satara, Pimpri Chinchwad and surrounding areas have been receiving very heavy rainfall for the past few days, causing a flood-like situation in the state.

"I called Karnataka CM to appraise the flood situation and requesting for increasing water discharge in Almati dam," Fadnavis wrote on his official Twitter handle. 

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra governement also urged the central government to provide National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team from Goa in view of discharge of water from Tillari Dam.

"Maharashtra Government requested GoI for @NDRFHQ team from Goa for Dodamarg in Sindhudurg district in view of discharge from Tillari dam. One team already left from Raigad. @Dev_Fadnavis," he added.

Fadnavis, who is presently in Yavatmal district for his ongoing `Mahajanadesh Yatra`, further confirmed that the state government is moving six teams with navy boats to Kolhapur via air. 

"State Government moving 6 teams with Navy boats to Kolhapur by air. For Sangli 4 FRP boats of NDRF are being moved from pune.CM @Dev_Fadnavis also spoke to Karnataka CM @BSYBJP & requested on Almatti discharge. He assured of positive actions," Fadnavis added. 

The state has been experiencing heavy showers for the last few days, throwing normal life out of gear and resulting in waterlogging and traffic jams in several parts of the city. 

Earlier this morning, a stretch of the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway (NH4) was shut down and traffic was stopped in the wake of floods in Sangli and Kolapur districts. According to the reports, the road will be opened only after the water levels in these areas return to normal. 

Out of the 30 river bridges in the state, seven of them namely Mahadji Shinde Bridge, Ravi Gandhi bridge, Old Sangvi bridge, Dapodi to Bhopodi Bhau Patil road, Old Holkar bridge, Baba Bhide bridge and Tilak bridge were closed as they were either submerged or the water level in the rivers had raised.

Due to incessent rainfall and accumulation of water in few sections of the state, several trains in the region got cancelled or terminated or diverted. Here is the list of some of them:

• T/N 19218 Jamnagar-Bandra Saurashtra Janta Express JCO 06.08.2019--Cancelled
• T/N 19023 (MMCT-FZR)  JCO 06.08.2019--Cancelled
• T/N  12934 (ADI-MMCT) JCO 06.08.2019--Cancelled
• T/N  12933 (MMCT-ADI) JCO 06.08.2019--Cancelled
• T/N 59049 (BL-VG) JCO 06.08.2019--Cancelled
• T/N 22920 (Ahmedabad -MGR Chennai Central) JCO 05.08.2019--Diverted
• T/N 12480 (BANDRA-JODHPUR) OF 06.08.2019--Cancelled
• T/N 19420 ( AHMEDABAD-MGR CHENNAI CENTRAL) of 07.08.2019--Cancelled
• T/N 12990 (AJMER-DADAR) OF 07.08.2019--Cancelled
• T/N 12934 (AHMEDABAD-MUMBAI) OF 06.08.2019 --Cancelled
• T/N 12933 (MUMBAI - AHMEDABAD) OF 06.08.2019 --Cancelled
• T/N 59049 (VALSAD-VIRAMGAM) OF 06.08.2019--Cancelled
• T/N 19202 (Porbandar-Secunderabad) of 06.08.2019--Diverted
• T/N 19202 Porbandar-Secunderabad Express JCO 06.08.2019--Diverted

The weather bulletin of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forcast that Mumbai is expected to receive next big spell of showers only on August 9.