Nashik rivers see severe flooding
The Devle Bridge over the Darna River in Igatpuri had to be shut as cracks began emerging.
Nashik: Most of the rivers in Nashik, including the Godavari, Nandini and Darna, are flooded due to heavy rains since Thursday night that continued through Friday.
Fire brigade personnel carried out a search operation after the residents of More Mala claimed that a 10 or 12-year-old unidentified boy was swept in a swollen stream in the Panchavati area. Meanwhile, heavy rains were reported in Igatpuri and Trimb-akeshwar, which are the catchment areas of Gangapur, Darna, Vaitarna, Bhandardara and other reservoirs.
The Ramkund area was submerged as water reached the waist of the Lord Dutondya Maruti statue in the Godavari River bed. If the floodwaters are successful in submerging the said statue, the situation is termed as ‘mahapor’ or heavy flood and the water also reaches Saraf Bazar, which has to be then evacuated.
The district administration and the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) have given out alerts, as the flooding rivers are likely to endanger people living in low-lying areas. The disaster control rooms of the district administration and the NMC are working round the clock to help the distressed people.
The Devle Bridge over the Darna River in Igatpuri had to be shut as cracks began emerging. This has also closed down the Ghoti-Sinnar route running between Shirdi and Sinnar. However, there are a few other routes for people who wish to travel to Shirdi through the Nashik district.
Heavy rains in the catchment areas have resulted in a large amount of water being released into the rivers from reservoirs. Environmentalist Rajesh Pandit said, “The floods would continue to happen as the aquifers are closed due to the encroachment of the rivers, resulting in water failing to percolate through the riverbed.”