Maharashtra’s Tansa dam nears overflow; villages in Thane, Vasai districts put on alert

Villages in Shahapur, Bhiwandi, and Vasai talukas in Thane and Palghar districts of Maharashtra are put on alert in view of the possible discharge of water from the Tansa dam, officials said on Saturday night. The dam in Thane district is likely to overflow anytime due to continuous rainfall in the region and hence villages situated around the dam and banks of the (Tansa) river are put on alert, a release said.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Minister Shamburaj Desai reviewed the rainfall and flood situation in Thane district adjoining Mumbai.The district collector informed the minister that Thane district had received an average 140-150 percent rainfall this season and three persons had lost their lives in rain-related incidents in the past three days.Kalu and Ulhas rivers in the district were flowing just below the danger mark, and the dams are also getting filled, the official said.

As the rain situation prevails Maharashtra, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'orange alert' for Sunday in Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts, and a 'yellow alert' to Mumbai predicting heavy rainfall again. The landslide in Irshalwadi tribal hamlet of Raigad district, caused by the heavy rainfall, has resulted in at least 27 deaths, and over 78 people are still reported missing. Chief minister Eknath Shinde met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and informed him about the prevailing flood and landslide situation caused by incessant rain. The Shiv Sena announced that the chief minister would adopt children who lost both parents in the landslide.