6 killed in heavy rain-related incidents in Maharashtra in 24 hours
Mumbai: At least six people were killed during heavy rain in the last 24 hours in Maharashtra. A 45-year-old woman was struck in an open drain and drowned in Mumbai while two people were killed due to lightning in Thane district. Two people were killed in Akola district due to accidental drowning. A person was also killed in Nashik district due to lightning. In view of heavy rain, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Pune was also canceled.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ordered a high level enquiry into the death of the woman. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray launched a scathing attack against Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde over waterlogging in Mumbai.
Mumbai and adjacent areas had witnessed a heavy rainfall and waterlogging on Wednesday. The local train services were badly hit. Rain had paralyzed the road traffic. The BMC announced closure of the schools on Thursday.
A senior official from the Disaster Management Unit (DMU), said that six people including two females were killed in rain-related incidents in the last 24 hours. Three people are still missing. “Out of six, three were killed due to lightning in Nashik and Thane. One woman was killed in Mumbai as she drowned in an overflowing nullah in Andheri,” the senior official said.
According to the police, Vimal Gaikwad drowned in an overflowing nullah near gate no. 8 of MIDC in Andheri East around 9:20 pm. The victim was rushed to Cooper Hospital by local police and the fire brigade but was declared dead on arrival.
According to the civic body, BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani has ordered a thorough probe and sought a report within next three days in connection with the woman’s drowning. “A three-member committee has been constituted under deputy commissioner Devidas Kshirsagar to probe the unfortunate demise of the woman in the open drain,” the BMC official said.
IMD (India Meteorological Department) has issued a red alert for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Pune, Nashik and Palghar.
Aaditya Thackeray said that the chief minister spoke about making Mumbai pothole-free but just 60 minutes of rain had exposed his claim. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, “During two and half years of regime, the chief minister has failed to make the city pothole-free. Even half kilometers of road are not concretized (in Mumbai).”