Amid heavy waterlogging, Maharashtra govt asks people to move to higher grounds; rescue ops on

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], September 23 (ANI): As many as 200 to 300 people were rescued by the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force after Ambajhari Lake overflowed due to heavy rainfall in parts of Nagpur for the last two days, said District Collector of Nagpur Vipin Itankar on Saturday.

The city recorded 100-125 mm of rainfall in the last night leading to overflow of the lake, he said.

Heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Nagpur for the last two days. The weather agency has already announced an alert for rainfall for Saturday as well.

“Due to 100-125 mm incessant rainfall in the night, Ambajhari Lake overflowed which resulted in waterlogging in the low-lying areas. 200-300 people were rescued from there by the NDRF and SDRF teams,” he told ANI.

The official said that there is an alert for rain today as well. “So I appeal to the people to be vigilant”.

He advised people living in low-lying areas “should move to higher grounds for safety”.

Visuals from the rainfall-affected areas showed a team of NDRF carrying out rescue operations, helping people to come out from flooded homes and streets.

Waterlogging was also reported at Canal Road Ramdaspeth in Nagpur where locals were stuck in their houses as flood waters gushed into their homes.

The state government said it is “continuously monitoring the situation”.

Honorary Secretary of Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Sandip Joshi said that rescue operations led by NDRF, Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Nagpur Collectorate are underway.

“We are in contact with the deputy CM and updating him about the situation,” the official said while noting that rumours should not be spread on social media in connection with rain-related incidents.

In a video that went viral on social media, office-goers were seen wading through water-logged roads and submerged public transport buses.

Another video showed a man perching on a window, waiting for the waters to subside following heavy rains in the area.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army has also undertaken a rescue operation in the water-logged Ambajhari area in Nagpur.

A personnel told ANI the water was at shoulder level in the morning and people were stuck.

“When we got the message in the morning, the water was at shoulder level. The people were stuck…As soon as we got to know, we brought a boat and rescued the people…”

“We have provided drinking water and biscuits to them,” he said. (ANI)

The Regional Meteorological Center, Mumbai had predicted heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms over part of Konkan and ghat areas of Madhya in Maharashtra for three days ending today.