India – More Fatalities as Flooding Continues in Gujarat and Maharashtra

by in Asia, News

Further heavy monsoon rain has caused the flood situation to worsen in the western Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

According to India’s National Emergency Response Centre (NERC) a total of 53 people have now died in Gujarat and 182 in Maharashtra since the start of this year’s monsoon.

Flood rescue in Maharashtra, India, August 2019. Photo: NDRF

Gujarat

Flooding began in Gujarat last week after almost 500mm of rain fell in 24 hours on 01 August, 2019. NERC has reported 22 flood-related deaths in the state since then.

Further heavy rain fell from 02 to 04 August. In a 24 hour period to 03 August, Mangrol recorded 269mm of rain, Kaprada 261mm and Vapi 231mm. During the next 24 hours period, Umerpada recorded 416mm of rain, Khambhat 385mm, Olpad 325 mm and Waghai 304mm.

On 04 August, 5,392 people were shifted from low-lying areas in Navsari district as a result of rising levels of the Ambika and Purna rivers. Officials said that almost 12,000 people are currently displaced across the state, including those in Vadodara (5,965) and Navsari (5,392) along with 240 people in Bharuch, 170 in Surat and around 100 in Tapi.

Over 100 stranded victims have been rescued by Indian Air Force helicopters in Surat and Navsari.

Several crocodiles have found their way through the flood waters and onto city streets in Vadodara, posing further dangers for the city’s residents.

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Maharashtra

More flooding has hit the western state of Maharashtra over the last few days, in particular in areas along the Godavari river which is flowing close to or above the danger mark in several locations.

Parts of the state saw torrential rain from 02 to 03 August, 2019. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), in a 24 hour period to 03 August, Dungerwadi in Maharashtra recorded 450mm of rain, Tamini 430mm, Dawdi 420mm, Shirgaon 370mm, Bhira 330mm, Roha 290mm, Mahabaleshwar 280mm and Pauni 270mm. IMD said that at least 24 other locations recorded more than 130mm of rain in this 24 hour period.

India’s Central Water Commission Official Flood Forecast said: “Due to ongoing extremely heavy rainfall in Maharashtra, many of the rivers in Thane, Raigad, Pune, Nasik, Ratnagiri and Palghar districts are in severe floods. West flowing rivers such as Ulhas, Kal, Savithri and in the city of Mumbai are in spate.”

Over the last few days teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have carried out rescues in Nasik, Raigad and Pune districts. The Indian Air Force was called in to rescue 56 villagers from Khadavali in Thane district. Schools and colleges have been closed in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Palghar, Thane and Raigad.

As of 04 August, the Godavari River at Nasik stood at 563.01 metres, above the danger mark of 559.6 metres. The Godavari at Kopergaon stood at 491.94 metres, above the warning level of 490.9 and pushing towards the danger mark of 493.68m.

Flooding has affected parts of the state since early July. As of 01 August, India’s National Emergency Response Centre said that 182 people have now died in Maharashtra since the start of this year’s monsoon.

Dozens of people died after torrential monsoon rainfall caused severe flooding in parts of Mumbai and the state of Maharashtra at the start of July this year.

The overflowing Ulhas river in Thane District on 27 July left the Mahalaxmi Express train carrying hundreds of passengers stranded.

The Godavari – the second longest river in India – stretches across the country from west to the east, where it is also currently causing severe flooding in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

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