Heavy rains in Pune, waterlogging in many areas

Heavy rains pounded Maharashtra's Pune city overnight and on Tuesday morning, causing waterlogging in many areas.

Some people staying in low-lying areas and near the Karha river banks were shifted to safer places, district authorities said.

Seven goats died after being swept away in the flood waters in Kanhur Mesai area of Shirur tehsil, they said.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Shivajinagar witnessed 104 mm rainfall in about five hours till 3 am on Tuesday, while Magarpatta received 116 mm downpour and Pashan recorded 94 mm of rainfall during the same period.

Waterlogging was witnessed in many areas including Hadapsar, Market Yard, Sinhgad Road, NIBM Road, B T Kawade Road, Katraj, Deccan, Karve Nagar, Kothrud, Kondhwa and Peth.

Twelve people stuck in the flood waters in Mangalwar Peth and Kondhwa areas were shifted to safer places, fire brigade officials said.

Twenty families staying near the Karha river in Jalgaon Kathe Pathar village of Baramati tehsil were also shifted after the river swelled following the release of water at the rate of 35,000 cubic foot per second (cusec) from the Nazre dam, district officials said.

IMD's weather forecasting department head Anupam Kashyapi said the satellite images revealed "there was enough moisture in the state."

The city is expected to stay cloudy with lightning and thunder activity in the evening along with light to moderate rainfall, he said.

The rain activity will reduce from Wednesday, he added.

Anupam Kashyapi said radar images show that the cloud mass is associated with cumulonimbus cloud, that is the thunder cloud.

“These cumulonimbus clouds have been developing for a long time in and around the city. So moderate to intense spells may continue. The cloud depth is around 11 km. Core areas of rainfall were Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad where intense rainfall cells continued to bring rains,” said Kashyapi.

He added that till October 18, moisture incursion is likely to continue.

“Moisture incursion will be there from both Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal side till October 18. On Tuesday, similar activity is likely on October 18 evening as well. Then slowly from October 19 onwards, rain activity will start to reduce marginally,” said Kashyapi.