Low-lying areas in Pune district of Maharashtra were on alert after water was released into the Mutha river on Sunday following incessant rains in the catchment areas of dams supplying water to the city.
Seven members of a family stranded at a house in the water-logged Kamshet area were also rescued by a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), an official from the agency said.
With more water being released from the Khadakwasla dam, water gushed into several low-lying areas in Balewadi, Baner, Aundh, Yerwada, Sinhgad Road and Bopodi.
“Efforts are being made to rescue people living in these low-lying areas,” a fire brigade official said.
According to the irrigation department, the catchment areas of four dams―Khadakwasla, Panshet, Varasgaon and Temghar―have been witnessing continuous rainfall.
“All the four dams are filled to their maximum storage capacity. As a result, we have already started releasing water into the Mutha river,” a senior official from the irrigation department said.
From 11 am on Sunday, around 35,574 cusecs (cubic foot per second) of water was being released from Khadakwasla dam. Since the catchment areas were still witnessing rainfall, around 41,756 cusecs of water will be released at 3 pm, he said.
“When water will be released at the rate of around 42,000 cusecs, a lot of people will have to be evacuated from the low-lying areas...we have issued an advisory to the Pune Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell,” he said.
“Several areas are already inundated. More areas are likely to be affected once more water is released from the dam,” he said.
