Monsoon fury: 62 dead since June 1 in Maharashtra; red alert issued for coastal districts

Mumbai, July 8 (IANS) Severe monsoon weather continues to batter Maharashtra, with relentless downpours over the past 24 hours triggering flash floods, river overflows, and structural collapses. According to the latest situation summary report released by the Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on Wednesday, the state has recorded 62 human casualties and 200 animal deaths since the start of the monsoon season on June 1.

The State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) reported extreme rainfall across several coastal and western districts in the last 24 hours. Thane and Palghar bore the brunt of the deluge, recording massive precipitation levels, including Thane: 196.9 mm, Palghar: 185.4 mm, Raigad: 134.1 mm, Mumbai Suburban: 125.0 mm and Pune: 69.4 mm. The cumulative rainfall since June 1 has put almost all districts in the “Large Excess” category, with Palghar receiving 457.3 per cent and Pune receiving 435.4 per cent of their normal rainfall figures for this period.

Out of the 62 human fatalities documented over the last five weeks, structural collapses and lightning strikes have emerged as the leading causes of death. Of these 62 fatalities, 25 deaths and 41 injuries were reported due to structural collapses across multiple districts, including Nashik, Thane, and Mumbai Suburban, and 23 deaths and 17 injuries happened due to thunder and lightning.

The lightning strikes also took a massive toll on livestock, accounting for 181 out of the 200 total animal deaths in the state.

About 6 deaths and 4 injuries were reported due to landslides and mudflows, primarily impacting mountainous regions in Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Satara, and Pune.

Tree falls claimed 6 lives, while direct flooding caused 2 deaths. In recent daily incidents, a wall collapse in Mumbai Suburban left one person injured, while a tree fell in Ratnagiri, injuring two others.

Heavy regional precipitation has caused severe swelling across Maharashtra’s river networks. Several major rivers have officially breached their critical danger levels, prompting local evacuations and high-alert warnings for low-lying villages.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued a red alert for the entire Maharashtra coastline valid until midnight. Extremely high waves and strong tidal surges are forecasted, posing a severe threat to coastal infrastructure and maritime safety.

Disaster management officials have advised a complete suspension of all nearshore recreational activities. Small fishing vessels and commercial boats have been strictly ordered not to venture out into the sea due to the imminent threat of wave surges and severe coastal erosion.

–IANS

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