Heavy rains claim 10 lives in Pune; schools and colleges shut

New Delhi: Schools and colleges will remain shut in Pune and nearby areas as death toll due to floods following heavy rains mounted to 10 on Thursday.

Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram has declared a holiday in schools and colleges of Pune city, Purandar, Baramati, Bhor and Haveli Tehsils.

Six people were killed after a wall collapsed in Sahkarnagar area on Wednesday while four others died in other rain-related incidents. Almost 150 houses are damaged due to a sudden flow of water from upstream with full force. 

On Thursday morning, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) recovered a body from a vehicle in a canal near Sinhagad road in Pune. 

Maharashtra: Body of a person has been recovered from a vehicle in a canal near Sinhagad road in Pune. Total number of deaths in the district, due to flood, rises to six. pic.twitter.com/waUgtx8Jgb

— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2019

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his condolence over the loss of lives due to rains and said that the government is providing all the necessary assistance. 

Three NDRF teams have been deployed in Pune and Baramati to carry out search and rescue operations. Meanwhile, the state government is also closely monitoring the dam discharge, Fadnavis said.

2 NDRF teams are deployed in Pune & 2 in Baramati.
One more NDRF team is on way to Baramati.
State Government is also closely monitoring the dam discharge. — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) September 26, 2019

On Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted severe thunderstorm in Mumbai and adjoining regions of Maharashtra. 

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Since Wednesday night, rains have wreaked havoc in Pune. The south and southwest part of the city, known as Katraj, was completely inundated. Bibawewadi received 112 mm of rainfall in just three hours. In Dattawadi, most of the houses near a canal had water gushing in suddenly. 

Heavy rains have caused a flood-like situation in the area causing severe damage to property. 

(With ANI inputs)