30 killed in Maharashtra floods, 2 lakh evacuated

According to Konkan Divisional Commissioner Deepak Mhaiskar, 12 persons died in Sangli, four in Kolhapur, seven in Satara, six in Pune and one in Solapur in various incidents.

At least four-five persons are still missing from the boat tragedy in Brahmnal village in Sangli where a Gram Panchayat's overloaded rescue boat capsized, drowning 12 persons.

With overnight rains subsiding, the waters have started receding in some parts of the worst-hit areas, giving relief to the residents and rescuers, though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in Pune, Sangli, and Kolhapur for heavy rains over the next couple of days.

On Thursday night, another 12 Indian Navy teams left for Sangli by road and are expected to reach there later today to join the rescue efforts.

After conducting an aerial survey yesterday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that an estimated 29,000 people still remain marooned in flood waters in these districts.

The floods have had their fallout in urban centers like Mumbai, Thane, Pune and other cities which are now witnessing shortage of milk, fruits and vegetables.

The prices of some daily use items like ginger has shot to more than Rs 325 per kg, coriander for nearly Rs 400/bunch, tomatoes between Rs 70-100/kg and chillies for Rs 300/kg.

The urban centers like Mumbai and Thane (city) are completely dependent on all their supplies from the adjoining districts of Thane, Palghar, Nashik for vegetables and Ahmednagar, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur for its supplies of fresh fruits and milk.

However, the flow of these items to Mumbai have been erratic in view of the floods, blocks on state and national highways, many interior areas cut-off, creating problems for transporters and the urban consumers alike.

Presently, alternative arrangements are being made for milk from Gujarat and vegetable supplies are being augmented from Palghar, Thane and surrounding areas.