Monsoon toll mounts: Heavy rains kill eight in Maharashtra

Rain-related incidents have killed eight persons in Maharashtra which has been pounded by heavy rains, an official said today.

Heavy rains had lashed Thane, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Raigad districts and other parts of the state even as the meteorological department has predicted heavy rains coupled with thundershowers in parts of the state."Eight persons have died in the last 36 hours in rain related incidents across the state," an official of the State Disaster Management Authority said.

An IMD official said heavy rains coupled with thundershowers are likely to occur in the Konkan region, north Central Maharashtra and South Central Maharashtra.State Disaster Management Authority Director Suhas Diwase said heavy rains in Nashik, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Akola, Ratnagiri and Kolhapur districts have broken the record for average rainfall.

"This year, the average rainfall recorded for the month has been 104 per cent so far. Last year, the average rainfall as of today was 366.2 mm, whereas the average rainfall recorded today stands at 382.8 mm," he added."The water stock in Koyna dam in Satara district has increased by 6 TMC due to heavy rains in its catchment areas," the officer added.

The water level in the dam, which generates hydel power, has now reached to 94 TMC, he said.Diwase said following heavy rains in the catchment area of river Godavari in Nashik, authorities in Nashik and Ahmednagar districts have put the villages along the embankment of the river on high alert.

"Authorities are continuously monitoring the water discharge from the irrigation dams in the state. Heavy rains have led to parts of eastern Gadchiroli district being completely cut-off from the rest of the state," he said.

The incessant rains have also disrupted rail traffic between Surat (in Gujarat) and Nandurbar as the earth work underneath the railway tracks was washed away forcing railways to divert rail traffic.