Palghar, Jul 4 (PTI) Heavy and incessant rains on Saturday crippled normal life in coastal Palghar in Maharashtra, where a six-year-old child died after being washed away in floodwaters, while authorities rescued more than 180 people stranded in water-logged localities in the district.
The downpour also led to road closures due to water-logging in some areas, caused damage to several houses and triggered incidents of tree collapse.
According to the district authorities, the incessant rains have battered the region since July 1.
Between 8 am and 4 pm on Saturday, Palghar taluka recorded an average rainfall of 137 mm, with the Palghar Tehsildar office rain gauge clocking 265 mm. The Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) area registered 163 mm of rain during the same period, the officials said.
“A tragic incident was reported from Betegaon (Konpada) in Palghar taluka, where a six-year-old child, identified as Aniket Dashrath Vaghela, lost his life after being swept away and drowning in the heavy gushing floodwaters,” said Vivekanand Kadam, chief of the disaster management cell of the district.
Talking to PTI, Palghar Tehsildar Ramesh Shinde said, “The boy was walking home along with his grandfather around 7.30 pm on Friday when he accidentally fell into a swollen nullah flowing nearby. He was washed away and died. His body was found after a search operation by the rescue and relief team.” The administrative machinery has been deployed on a war footing to address structural damage and sub-surface flooding.
“Water-logging was reported at 103 locations across the Vasai-Virar municipal limits. Rescue teams successfully evacuated 140 stranded citizens from vulnerable water-logged pockets to temporary civic shelter camps, where lodging and over 2,000 food packets were distributed,” Kadam said.
Heavy rains also caused commercial losses and damages to various structures.
In Nagave Tarf Manor village, floodwaters entered a poultry farm owned by local resident, in which 100 chickens perished.
A major portion of the compound wall of the Divisional ST Workshop in Palghar collapsed along the roadside, while at the Navghar ST bus station in Vasai, a large tree crashed onto the shed of platform number 3, causing heavy structural damage, the officials said.
Nine houses suffered partial damages, while two others were completely destroyed, they added.
In Dahanu, residents of eight affected houses were shifted to local Zilla Parishad schools. In Vasai taluka, the Mori village area was cut off, prompting the emergency relocation of 46 residents.
While several key arterial roads, including the Manor Highway, Vikramgad-Jawhar Phata, Waghoba Khind were temporarily closed to traffic due to heavy flooding and tree falls, prompt action by the Public Works Department, revenue staff, and police ensured they were cleared by 3 pm.
Water was also reported flowing over the Deharje river bridge in Vikramgad.
“A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has been pre-positioned in the Vasai-Virar region to handle any emergency situation. The revenue department has been directed to immediately conduct spot ‘panchnamas’ (assessments) of all reported structural and livestock losses,” Kadam added. PTI COR NP
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