At least 20 people are missing after seven villages were flooded late on Tuesday night when the Tiware dam in Ratnagiri district was breached following two days of heavy rainfall.
According to media reports, the Tiware dam was breached around 10pm. The breach led to at least 12 houses being washed away. ANI reported that bodies of two people were recovered by rescue workers on Wednesday morning even as 22 to 24 people were still missing. The National Disaster Response Force and local police rushed to the spot.
Officials fear the number of missing persons could increase as the affected villages were cut off.
The Indian Express quoted police officials in Ratnagiri as saying the Tiware dam started developing cracks on Tuesday evening and ruptured quickly.
At least 35 people have died in rainfall-related accidents across Maharashtra since Monday night. The death toll in the wall collapse in Malad in Mumbai rose to 21 by late on Tuesday; nearly 80 people were injured in the incident.
In Mumbai, the Central Railway announced that it would be following its 'Sunday timetable' on Wednesday, which means fewer trains would be running. Further rainfall is forecast for Mumbai and other parts of the state of Wednesday, though its intensity is expected to be lesser compared with Tuesday.
This story will be updated
