Water levels still above danger mark

Mumbai: The woes of Sangli and Kolhapur residents are unlikely to end anytime soon as their districts’ water levels are more than nine and seven feet above their respective danger levels.

Apart from this, light showers are exacerbating the situation in both districts, said a senior official, who is closely monitoring unfolding events in the state.

The official said that the water level in Kolhapur has fallen by one foot, eleven inches while three feet of water has receded in Sangli district.  

“The current water level in Kolhapur is 50.10 feet while Sangli’s is 54.5 feet. The danger level of both districts are 43 and 45 feet respectively,” the official added.    

Chief minister Devendra Fadanvis, meanwhile, Sunday directed that `5,000 be given in cash to each flood-affected family and the balance amount be deposited in bank accounts. Mr Fadnavis visited the State Disaster Control Room in Mantralaya and took a review of the flood situation.

The state has rescued over 4.48 lakh people in Kolhapur, Satara and Satara, but the situation still remains grim in the latter district where rescue operations are still being carried out.

Officials of the Disaster Management Unit (DMU) said that 105 rescue teams, including those from the NDRF, SDRF, Coast Guard, Navy and Army, were deployed on Sunday.

Meanwhile, with the recovery of the bodies of five more victims of Thursday’s boat capsize tragedy near the Bhamnal in Palus block of Sangli district reached on Sunday, the overall death toll rose to over 30.

Also, 5,30,000 cusecs of water was discharged from Almatti Dam on the Krishna river in Karnataka to ease the flood situation in the state.

Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Thane, Pune, Palghar, Ratnagiri, Raigad and Sindhudurg districts have received heavy rains during the last seven days.

Raksha Bandhan comes early for Navy rescuers

It was an early Raksha Bandhan for several personnel of the Indian Navy as the rescued women in a Kolhapur village tied ‘rakhis’ to express their gratitude them.

“Heartwarming scenes were witnessed in village Rajapur, Kolhapur as woman tied ‘rakhis’ to their ‘brothers’ in the Navy for fulfilling their dharma by protecting them when all hope seemed lost, (sic)” tweeted the Indian Navy on Sunday.

India will celebrate Raksha Bandhan on August 15. On this day, women tie ‘rakhis’ to their brothers in India.

At least 41 teams of the Indian Navy have been carrying out rescue operations in flood-affected areas of Kolhapur and Sangli districts. Out of 41 teams from the navy, 29 are deployed in Kolhapur while the rest are in Sangli.

Besides the Navy, the Air Force, the Army and personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are also engaged in relief and rescue operations.

Since the last seven days, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Thane, Pune, Nashik, Palghar, Ratnagiri, Raigad and Sindhudurg districts of the state have been receiving heavy rains.

However, Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts have been the worst affected. Close to one lakh hectare of agricultural land has been damaged in western parts of the state.