Palghar rains: Death toll rises to two as rescue teams save 244 people in overnight operations

Representational Image

The death toll from heavy rains in Maharashtra's Palghar district has risen to two, while rescue teams saved 244 people from flood-affected areas during overnight operations before concluding relief efforts early Friday, officials said.

Authorities have also ordered all schools and educational institutions in the district to remain closed on Friday as a precautionary measure, even as floodwaters began receding in several areas.

Rescue operations end after overnight efforts

Vivekanand Kadam, chief of the district disaster management cell, said rescue and relief operations involving the district administration and two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) concluded at around 5 am on Friday.

Several parts of Palghar district were inundated following intense rainfall, with Dahanu and Talasari emerging as the worst-affected areas.

According to officials, 244 people were rescued from waterlogged locations during the overnight operation. These included 124 people from Palghar town, 65 workers stranded at a factory in Talasari, and 25 people trapped at a farmhouse in Gundale.

Officials had earlier stated that 891 people were rescued from flood-hit areas on Thursday.

Death toll rises to two

Kadam said the death toll increased after another body was recovered in Dahanu on Thursday.

The deceased, believed to have been washed away in floodwaters, is yet to be identified. Earlier, another man's body had been recovered from a nullah.

A member of the relief team described the flooding as the worst experienced by the district in the past decade.

Several rescue incidents reported

The heavy rainfall led to multiple emergency situations across the district, with local residents playing a crucial role in rescue efforts.

In one incident on Thursday, four passengers narrowly escaped after their car plunged into a waterlogged trench on the Sun City-Ghas Road in Vasai West. According to officials, the driver swerved to avoid a stray dog before the vehicle fell into the flooded trench. Local residents rescued all four occupants from the partially submerged car.

In another incident, six people, including four passengers, were trapped inside an MSRTC bus stranded in rising floodwaters in Saivan. Residents used ropes to safely rescue everyone from the bus.

Damage assessment begins

With floodwaters receding, traffic has resumed on roads and bridges that were temporarily affected by flooding.

Officials said the administration has now shifted its focus to conducting panchnamas (spot inspections) to assess damage to homes, infrastructure and other property caused by the heavy rains.

District Collector Indu Rani Jakhar continued to monitor the situation as authorities began documenting losses and coordinating relief measures for affected residents.

The district administration has urged residents to remain cautious as restoration work continues and weather conditions are being closely monitored.

(With inputs from PTI)