IMD issues red alert, predicts heavy rainfall in Pune, Satara

Mumbai: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy rainfall at isolated places in Mumbai, Raigad and Palghar from Monday onwards.

 An official said that the intensity of rains would reduce from Tuesday. A red alert has been issued for isolated places in Pune and Satara districts in Maharashtra.

The IMD classifies a minimum 204.5 mm rainfall in 24 hours as extremely heavy. A red alert requires authorities to take preventive steps to minimise damage.

 “Districts in Western Maharashtra, including Pune, Kolhapur, Satara and Sangli, are expected to receive strong spells of showers in the week beginning Monday (August 17). Satara and Pune districts are very likely to receive extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places on Monday,” the IMD official said.

He said the rest of the region is expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places during the week. Parts of Maharashtra including north, Madhya and Vidarbha regions are expected to receive heavy to very heavy showers till Thursday.

Meanwhile, due to heavy rains, some villages in Kolhapur district remained cut off from rest of the district due to flood in the Kasari river, a major tributary of the Panchganga river.

The official said the rate of the water discharge from the Almatti dam in north Karnataka has been increased by 20,000 cusecs to 2 lakh cusecs, after Maharashtra minister Rajendra Patil-Yadravkar spoke with Karnataka's water resources minister Ramesh Jarkiholi.