Mumbai: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Kolhapur, Palghar, Nashik, Pune, and Ratnagiri districts of Maharashtra forecasting ‘heavy’ to ‘very heavy’ rains till July 14. The weather office has also issued an orange alert for Mumbai for the next 3 days. At least nine people have lost their lives due to incessant rainfall and its related incidents in Maharashtra in the last two days. According to the Maharashtra SDMD, a total of 76 people have died since June 1 and as many as 838 houses were damaged due to the rain-related incidents in the state.


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Three persons were reported to be missing in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district after heavy rains and incessant downpour led to a rise in water levels of several rivers in Nashik district, while Mumbai and its adjoining areas received moderate showers on Monday.


Heavy showers continued to lash Nashik district, causing a rise in water levels of several rivers and submerging many temples located on the bed of the Godavari river. The IMD has issued a 'red' alert for Nashik district till July 14, forecasting heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm in 24 hours. Pune district, too, has been witnessing heavy rains for the last few days.


In the Gadchiroli district in eastern Maharashtra, three persons were swept away in overflowing nullahs in the last three days and their bodies were fished out later, said a release issued by the District Information Office (DIO).


In Gadchiroli, as many as 353 people from 129 places affected by heavy rains have been shifted to safer places, it said. In the last 24 hours, Surgana in Nashik district received the highest rainfall at 238.8 mm, followed by Peth at 187.6 mm and Trimbakeshwar at 168 mm, an official said.


Light to moderate rains also lashed Mumbai and its neighbouring areas on Monday, but there was no report of water-logging anywhere in the metropolis, civic officials said.


The IMD has predicted moderate rainfall in the city and its suburbs over the next 24 hours, with a possibility of heavy showers at isolated places, they said. A landslide occurred on a road leading to the famous Bhimashankar temple in the Pune district in the early hours of Monday following heavy rains, officials said. 


Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said a permanent plan will be drafted to ensure that villages in the Gadchiroli district do not get cut off from other areas due to rains and floods every year. Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday visited the Gadchiroli district and reviewed the rain situation.


Shinde and Fadnavis inspected the Wainganga river and took stock of the flood situation. "A permanent plan will be prepared for villages in Gadchiroli which get cut off every year due to heavy rainfall and floods," the chief minister said after presiding over a review meeting with officials.


He directed officials to submit a proposal for preparing the plan. Shinde said a government medical college and hospital, whose work is pending, will start soon in Gadchiroli. Gadchiroli is experiencing heavy rainfall for the last three days. A total of 313 people from 11 villages have been shifted to help centres.


Communication with 128 villages in the district was lost last Saturday due to heavy rains.