23 July,2026 08:49 AM IST | Pune | Archana Dahiwal
The continuous rainfall has improved water storage in Pune’s reservoirs. FILE PIC
After three consecutive days of persistent rain, Pune witnessed intensified showers on Wednesday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a red alert for the entire district, including the ghat regions, for Wednesday and Thursday.
A red alert is the highest level of weather warning. It warns of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. While heavy rainfall is expected to continue over the next two days, the weather department has indicated that its intensity is likely to reduce from Friday.
Indrayani River water level rises. PIC/By Special Arrangement
Authorities have increased the discharge from Mulshi Dam after it reached 82 per cent of its storage capacity. Tata Power raised the release into the Mula River from 1000 cusecs to 5000 cusecs from noon and warned that the discharge could be increased further depending on rainfall and inflows. Residents have been advised to stay away from riverbeds, remove livestock and belongings from low-lying areas, and avoid unnecessary travel, particularly through the ghat sections, until weather conditions improve.
The continuous rainfall has significantly improved water storage in Pune's reservoirs. The Khadakwasla dam chain received an inflow of 1380 million cubic feet (MCft) during the past 24 hours, taking total storage to 19.26 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet), or 66.08 per cent of its capacity. Temghar recorded the highest rainfall in the catchment at 140 mm during the period, with cumulative rainfall since June 1 reaching 1536 mm. As of Wednesday morning, Khadakwasla Dam stood at 71.56 per cent capacity, Panshet at 70.99 per cent, Varasgaon at 66.11 per cent and Temghar at 48.91 per cent. During the same period last year, the combined storage in the four reservoirs was 79.28 per cent.
Pune city is likely to receive moderate to heavy rainfall. REPRESENTATION PIC
The Western Ghats continued to receive intense rainfall over the past 24 hours. Bhira recorded the highest rainfall at 309 mm, followed by Tamini (275 mm), Dawdi (264 mm), Shirgaon (255 mm), Upper Vaitarna (224 mm), Dungerwadi (197 mm), Ambone (185 mm), Dharavi (154 mm), Mulshi Camp (151 mm), Mulshi Bung (144 mm), Lonavala Observatory (142 mm), Kundley (137 mm), Walvan (123 mm), Khopoli (120 mm) and Lonavala Tata (106 mm), reflecting widespread monsoon activity across the region.
SD Sanap, IMD senior scientist
SD Sanap told mid-day, "Heavy rainfall will continue across the entire Pune district and the ghat sections till Thursday. The intensity of rainfall is expected to gradually reduce from Friday." According to the IMD, Pune city is likely to receive moderate to heavy rainfall, while the district's ghat regions may experience heavy to very heavy rain, with isolated locations likely to receive extremely heavy showers.
