Over 5,000 people evacuated as Nanded under grip of massive flood

Mumbai: More than 5,000 people were evacuated and shifted to safer locations as the Nanded district experienced large-scale inundation and flooding with the Marathwada region pounded by very heavy rains on Friday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is personally monitoring the situation of Nanded.

A unit of the Indian Army has been rushed from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the divisional headquarters, to assist the Nanded revenue and police machinery in mitigating the emergency situation.

Several tehsils including Naigaon, Biloli, Mukhed, Deglur, Loha, Kandhar, and Nanded were severely affected, with floodwaters entering houses in low-lying areas.

“Heavy rainfall has taken place in Nanded city along with some tehsils. The entire machinery of the district administration is ready, and all teams are keeping an eye on the situation and helping out people,” Nanded district’s Collector Rahul Kardile said.

Fadnavis said that out of the 93 revenue circles in Nanded, 69 have experienced heavy rainfall.

“The highest rainfall has occurred in the two revenue circles of Kandhar and Malakoli. It is approximately 284.50 mm, Fadnavis told reporters in Mumbai.

“The water levels in the Godavari, Manar, Manjra, and Lendi rivers have risen, and 1500 citizens are trapped in the floodwaters. Heavy rains are also continuing in Telangana, and due to backwater and releases from the Nizam Sagar and Pochampally, flood situations have arisen in the Biloli, Deglur, Dharmabad, and Mukhed tehsils,” he said.

“More than 5000 people from here have been evacuated to safe places by multiple teams of SDRF, CRPF, and local police. The administrative machinery has been kept in readiness. The current situation is under control. A team of the army has been called from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar,” he added.

According to the forecast by Mumbai-based Regional Meteorological Centre, heavy rains are expected in several places across the state.

“Heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of South Konkan-Goa and in Ghat areas of South Madhya Maharashtra. Thunderstorms accompanied with lightning, with heavy to very heavy rainfall and gusty winds 30-40 kmph very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of North Konkan, in Ghat areas of North Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada,” the weathermen said.

The two weeks of heavy rainfall has damaged the standing crops in Nanded with the latest figure around eight lakh acres.

The neighbouring Latur district also experienced heavy rainfall with large scale inundation. The Manjra River has swollen in several places.