Heavy rain in Maharashtra has claimed 13 lives, injured 10 people, damaged nearly 100 houses, and triggered severe flooding, landslides, and transport disruptions. Red alerts remain in effect as rescue teams continue relief operations across the state’s worst-hit districts.
Maharashtra continues to grapple with one of the season’s most severe monsoon spells as incessant rainfall over the past two days has left 13 people dead, injured 10 others, and caused extensive destruction across several districts. Torrential rain accompanied by strong winds has flooded towns and villages, damaged nearly 100 houses, disrupted transportation, and forced emergency rescue operations in multiple regions.
According to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), relentless rainfall has severely impacted the coastal and western parts of the state. Hundreds of residents have been displaced after floodwaters inundated homes and low-lying areas, while authorities remain on high alert as rivers continue to swell beyond safe limits.
Meteorological data collected over the past 24 to 48 hours reflects the extraordinary intensity of the rainfall. Lonavala received an astonishing 625 mm (24.71 inches) of rainfall within 48 hours, making it one of the worst-hit locations. Raigad recorded 236 mm in the last 24 hours, while Thane received 161 mm. Ratnagiri reported 152 mm of rainfall, Palghar averaged 132 mm, and different parts of Mumbai recorded between 100 mm and 161 mm during the same period.
The heavy rainfall has caused rivers across Maharashtra to overflow rapidly. The Ulhas, Kalu, and Pinjal rivers have crossed their warning levels, while the Amba, Savitri, Kundalika, Patalganga, Jagbudi, and Ulhas rivers have breached danger marks. As a precautionary measure, flood alerts have been issued for Badlapur, Mohane, and Jambhulpada, where rising water levels continue to threaten nearby settlements.
The monsoon fury has resulted in several tragic incidents. In Mumbai’s Mankhurd area, six people lost their lives and one person was injured after a building collapsed onto a nearby slum settlement during the heavy downpour. Another fatality occurred in the city’s suburbs when a tree uprooted by strong winds fell on a resident.
In Thane district, two people sustained injuries after a section of a building collapsed. Separate drowning incidents claimed one life each in Palghar and Sindhudurg districts. Sindhudurg also witnessed widespread property damage, with approximately 30 houses collapsing due to powerful winds and persistent rainfall.
In Satara district, a landslide struck a residential area, killing one person and injuring four others. The incident has heightened concerns over the growing risk of landslides in hilly regions as continuous rainfall weakens slopes and destabilizes terrain.
Authorities have issued a Red Alert for several hill stations, including Matheran, Lonavala, Khopoli, and Lohagad, warning residents and tourists of the high possibility of fresh landslides. As a precaution, two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed to vulnerable areas to assist local authorities in rescue and evacuation efforts.
In Pune district’s Mawal taluka, four residents became trapped after a landslide buried part of their house in Patan village. Rescue teams immediately launched operations to reach the affected family amid difficult weather conditions.
The NDRF also carried out a successful rescue near Talegaon-Dabhade after a passenger bus carrying 25 people became stranded in rising floodwaters. All passengers were evacuated safely without any casualties.
Another dramatic rescue unfolded in Raigad district’s Sudhagad taluka, where six members of a family, including a six-month-old infant, were trapped on the roof of their flooded home. With roads leading to the village submerged, rescue personnel used boats to reach the stranded family and bring them to safety.
Heavy rainfall also disrupted transportation across Maharashtra. Traffic on the Mumbai-Goa Highway came to a standstill after a landslide blocked the Kashedi Ghat stretch. Similar disruptions were reported on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Khopoli Highway, where landslides and severe waterlogging temporarily halted vehicle movement. Authorities later cleared debris and restored traffic by the afternoon.
The Mawal and Tamhini Ghat regions also experienced significant landslides and flooding, forcing officials to divert traffic through alternative routes to ensure commuter safety.
Interestingly, while western and coastal Maharashtra continue to battle floods, the Vidarbha region remains largely untouched by the current monsoon spell. Districts including Wardha, Akola, Amravati, Yavatmal, and Chandrapur have recorded virtually no rainfall during the same period, highlighting the uneven distribution of this year’s monsoon activity across the state.
| Also Read: Govt policies enable Indian toy manufacturers to compete in global markets: FM Sitharaman |
State authorities have urged residents in vulnerable districts to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary, avoid flooded roads and rivers, and follow official advisories. Disaster management teams remain on standby as weather forecasts indicate that heavy rainfall is likely to continue in several parts of Maharashtra over the coming days, raising concerns about additional flooding, landslides, and disruptions.
