Around 31 persons have died in rain-related accidents across Maharashtra in a week, while the water level in the Godavari has touched the “alert” mark as heavy rainfall continued to pound the Marathwada region and other parts of the State on Thursday.
Parbhani, Nanded, Jalna and Aurangabad were badly-hit in the region, while rainfall also pummelled districts in Vidarbha, including Gondia, Amravati and Nagpur. Of the 31 rain-related deaths, seven casualties were from Nanded.
“The water level has reached the ‘alert’ mark in the Godavari river after nearly 15 years. Over the years, several buildings have come up along the river. I have also seen certain structures that have been built in the nullahs in Nanded city,” State Public Works Department Minister Ashok Chavan, who is also the guardian Minister of Nanded district, said while reviewing the situation in Marathwada.
He said aid would be disbursed to those whose homes were flooded, adding that agriculture and infrastructural losses would also be looked into immediately.
According to officials, Nanded has received 962.7 mm of rainfall this monsoon, which was 118% of its average annual rainfall.
A total of 145 circles in Marathwada, which comprises eight districts, recorded rainfall above 65 mm in 24 hours till Tuesday. The circles were from Aurangabad, Jalna, Latur, Osmanabad, Beed and Nanded districts.
According to officials, 1,687 domesticated animals, including 598 poultry birds in Jalna district, had perished in the region as a result of the heavy rain since September 1.
More than 60 houses in the region were damaged due to the rainfall, while water reservoirs in the region — two each at Kannad (Aurangabad) and Ahmedpur (Latur) — were destroyed.