Rains in Maharashtra breaks 40-year record this year

Mumbai : Parts of Maharashtra have been flooded after continuous rains lashed the state for past 24 hours. This has been the heaviest spell in last 40 years. According to media reports, navy has been roped in for the rescue operations.

Several teams of NDRF have also been placed to conduct rescue operations in several parts.

While Ratnagiri, Raigad, Kolhapur districts are flooded, Sangli and Amravati are facing a flood-like situation.

More than 50% area of the coastal town of Chiplun in Ratnagiri, around 250 km from Mumbai and having a population of over 70,000, has got submerged in flood waters, news agency PTI reported.

A video on social media showed some people rescuing a woman from the flood water with the help of a rope. The woman clings on to the rope as she is pulled up, but just as she nears the terrace of the building, the rescuers lose grip and she falls into the water.

The Mumbai-Goa Highway has been closed for traffic due to severe flooding in the region.

The Met department has issued red and orange alerts for several regions in Maharashtra that are set to receive heavy rainfall in the next few days.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has called for an emergency meeting to take stock of the situation and disaster caused by the flood in the state.