Over 15,000 persons moved to safer places as Baramati faces threat of deluge

At least 11 people are feared to have died in separate rain-related incidents across Pune district since the intervening night between Tuesday and Wednesday while many others are reported to be missing after incessant heavy downpour that battered the city.

Five people lost their lives after a compound wall of a residential society collapsed in Pune’s Aranyeshwar area in the city sometime after midnight on Wednesday. One person lost his life after his car was swept away from a bridge amidst the heavy downpour. Speaking to newspersons here, Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram disclosed that five more rain-related deaths were reported from other tehsils in the district. While there are unconfirmed reports of three to four more persons reported missing.

Majority of the deaths in Pune city were caused as the compound wall of Tangewala Society in the city’s Parvati area caved in sometime around Wednesday midnight.

The district collector stated that the intensity of rain was tremendous for some hours in areas of the city like Sahakarnagar, Bibewadi, Katraj, it must be noted that the total rainfall recorded over areas in the city and the district during the night was not really that much.

Ram added that the tragic deaths of five people in the wall collapse incident in Aranyeshwar locality was because of the water that was flowing from the upstream areas in tremendous force. The people who died were not residents of the society but unfortunate passers-by. He further said that the major cause of concern at the moment was Baramati city, which was facing the threat of a major deluge due to the alarming rise of the levels of the nearby Karha River.

The district collector stated that the danger of flooding in Baramati city is because of the Nazare dam that is filled to capacity following heavy rainfall in Saswad. The National Disaster Response Teams (NDRF) has already been deployed in the city. A high-alert had also been issued to the residents living in the low-lying areas, he added. He said that 15,000 persons in Baramati had already been moved to safer areas following a discharge of more than 80,000 cusecs of water from the Nazare dam.

Meanwhile Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in a tweet, said that he was “pained to know about the loss of lives in and around Pune due to heavy rains. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. We are providing all possible assistance needed. State disaster management officials and control room in continuous touch with Pune collector and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Two NDRF teams are deployed in Pune and two in Baramati. One more NDRF team is on way to Baramati. State Government is also closely monitoring the dam discharge”.

Several low-lying areas in and around Pune city were flooded as heavy rain lashed the city on Wednesday, causing severe damage to property in low-lying areas like Sinhagad Road, Sahakarnagar, Parvati and Katraj. Water entered the homes of a number of residential societies and chawls and shanties alike in these areas. Several four-wheelers were severely damaged owing to intense rains that lasted for several hours between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

Residents said that water levels had suddenly risen following large amounts of water flowing down to from the citys Taljai Tekadi (hill) area. In some housing societies, the flood waters rose to an height of eight to nine feet, completely flooding the parking lots. Several two wheelers and four wheelers were washed away in the heavy rains, while scores were damaged and scattered around in residential societies in Bibwewadi, Sahakarnagar and Parvati.

Massive traffic snarls were reported along the Swargate – Katraj route on Thursday morning as the water from the roads was yet to recede. Water-logging on the Katraj highway led to heavy traffic jams in the morning. The waterlogging at the Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) bus depot in Katraj forced a complete shutdown causing regular commuters much hardships.

The overnight heavy downpour led to disruption of electricity supply in the Sinhagad Road area and adjoining areas. It is feared that with the floodwaters entering pumping stations the adjoining areas may face water cuts. Considering the grim situation, the district collector has announced that all schools and colleges in Pune city and the adjoining areas of Pune district including Purandar, Baramati, Bhor and Haveli to be shut.

Meanwhile, Irrigation Department authorities informed that 13,981 cusecs of water was being discharged from the Khadakwasala dam, which is filled to the brim following incessant rainfall for the past two days. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), more rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms was expected in parts of the State on Thursday evening as well and that the intensity was expected to reduce only by the weekend.

Pune city has been experiencing heavy bouts of rainfall for the past three nights.

A rise in day temperatures accompanied by humidity causing intense burst of heavy rains that started since Tuesday late evening and last for the better part of each night.

IMD officials said that the phenomenon was not technically a ‘cloudburst’ and that it was the rising daytime temperatures and high moisture levels during the day which were giving way to convective activities in the night. This in turn led to heavy and relentless showers for some hours in the night accompanied by lightning.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar lashed out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing the government of having scant regard for human life and that it was only obsessed about the upcoming assembly elections and retaining power.

He remarked that during the recent deluge in Sangli and Kolhapur district’s, BJP leaders including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were busy in the Mahajanadesh Yatra. Now, when people have lost their lives in the heavy rains in Pune, Chief Minister and Pune district Guardian Minister are nowhere to be seen around. Wadettiwar added that instead visiting the rain affected people and providing relief, they callously argue that they are taking stock of the situation via video conferencing.

Venting his ire on Pune district Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil, Wadettiwar wanted to know why the district guardian minister is not present when Pune is reeling under a calamity of such magnitude? He further wanted to know as to why Chandrakant Patil was in Delhi to discuss seat-sharing and ticket distribution when he should have been directing relief operations here?