Mumbai: The number of deaths due to flooding, landslides and other rain-related incidents in parts of Maharashtra reached 113 on Sunday with one more casualty reported in the last 24 hours, while 100 people were missing after the monsoon fury, the state government said.

So far, 50 people have also been injured in these incidents, the government said in a statement.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray visited Chiplun, the site of severe flooding in Ratnagiri district of the Konkan region.

A group of locals stopped the CM’s convoy and informed him about the problems they were facing following the rain havoc in the area.

The Chief Minister interacted with residents, businessmen and shopkeepers, and promised them all help from the state government to restore normalcy in the area.

Thackeray said they will require “central assistance for long-term mitigation measures”, and added that he will tour western Maharashtra on Monday and a comprehensive data of the extent of damages will be prepared.

Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane visited Taliye village in Raigad, the site of a massive landslide on Thursday, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked him to submit a report on the damage caused by the rains.

Rane said damaged houses would be rebuilt under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana after suggestions are taken from local residents.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Council Pravin Darekar accompanied Rane.

Thackeray, while talking to reporters after a review meeting in Chiplun, said the economy was “sluggish” because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We will require central assistance for long-term mitigation measures. The central government has provided assistance by deploying rescue teams from defence forces,” he said.

The chief minister said he will tour western Maharashtra on Monday and a comprehensive data of the extent of damages will be prepared.

“We will provide all assistance,” he assured.

Thackeray said there will be no technical difficulty in providing assistance to the affected people.

Some residents of Chiplun, who had stopped Thackeray’s convoy, later told reporters that they informed the chief minister that they need immediate relief, and not assurances.

“We have lost everything in the flood. For the last three days, no one came to conduct the punchnama (spot inspection). Now, with the water level receding, we are clearing the debris from our homes and shops. If the officials come later and find our area clean, will they give us compensation?” asked a woman who met the CM.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said on Sunday that 89 bodies had been retrieved following landslides.

SN Pradhan, the Director General (DG) of the federal force, tweeted the latest data of its operations being undertaken in Raigad, Ratnagiri and Satara districts of the state.

Thirty-four people are still missing in these three districts, as per the data updated till 3:15 pm.

As per the data, NDRF rescuers have retrieved a total of 89 bodies from these areas, with the highest number of 47 being from the worst-hit Taliye village under Mahad tehsil of Raigad.

The force has deployed 34 teams for relief and rescue operations in the affected regions of Maharashtra.

The NDRF is operating in landslide-affected Taliye in Raigad, Porase and Pedhe in Ratnagiri, and Mirgaon, Ambeghar and Dhokawale in Satara district, the data showed.
PTI

Press Trust of India