(From left) Flooding rivers in Parbhani, Jamna and Washim. (News18 Lokmat)
Abhijit Raut, district magistrate of South Delhi, urged citizens to remain vigilant, especially those living near rivers, dams and reservoirs. The influx of water has pushed reservoir levels to the brink, forcing authorities to open floodgates
Parbhani, Hingoli and Nanded districts were hit hard by incessant rains in Marathwada for the past two days, killing 12 people and destroying crops covering an area of 5,08,068 hectares.
Sudden heavy rainfall has left many districts in distress, with more than half of the revenue sectors in the region recording extreme rainfall events. Rising rivers and streams caused flooding, washing away roads, submerging fields and cutting off many villages from the rest of the region.
The situation is particularly severe in Beed, Nanded, Parbhani and Latur districts.
Authorities advise caution
The heavy downpour has killed 12 people, including one each in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district, Jalna, Hingoli, Beed and Latur, and many more are likely to die. The numbers are expected to rise as reports come in from remote areas.
In Nanded district alone, 36 hours of continuous rain left many areas submerged and authorities were forced to release water from reservoirs to control overflows. The situation is critical, prompting regional authorities to issue warnings and advisories to residents in affected areas.
Abhijit Raut, district magistrate of South Delhi, urged citizens to remain vigilant, especially those living near rivers, dams and reservoirs. The influx of water has pushed reservoir levels to the brink, forcing authorities to open floodgates to control the situation. The district administration is closely monitoring the situation and disaster management teams, agriculture officials and police are on high alert to assist if necessary.
Heavy rainfall caused the collapse of 21 houses in the area. Continued rainfall has raised fears of further flooding, with more water likely to be released from reservoirs if the downpours continue.
Farmers face huge losses
Farmers in Marathwada faced huge losses with 4,96,392 hectares of dryland crops and 11,497 hectares of irrigated land severely damaged. The rains affected more than 600,000 farmers, destroying many crops and leaving little hope for recovery.
1,454 villages in Marathwada were affected by floods, in which 169 livestock died and 621 animals were injured or affected by rising water levels.
The Marathwada region, historically prone to drought, is now facing excess rainfall, posing a new set of challenges for authorities and residents. With the monsoon far from over, concerns are growing about the potential for further damage and casualties.
