Tragedy struck in Nagpur as relentless heavy rains unleashed flooding, claiming the lives of four individuals, including a 53-year-old paralysed woman, police informed on Saturday, as per news agency PTI. In the first incident, floodwaters breached the home of Sandhya Dhore (53) and her mother, Sayabai Dhore (72), in Surendragadh. Family members bravely rescued Sayabai, but the bedridden Sandhya drowned as the water level surged within the room. Her lifeless body was discovered by a rescue team the following morning, PTI reported an official as informing.
70-year-old Meerabai Kappuswamy, who resided alone in Gittikhadan, also succumbed to the inundation. Water invaded her home around 2 a.m., and her relatives discovered her lifeless body at 6 a.m., the police officer told PTI.
A third fatality occurred on Saturday evening when an unidentified body was found in a 'nullah' (major drain) near Panchsheel Square within the Dhantoli police station limits.
The fourth victim was identified as Sanjay Shankar Gadegaokar (52), a tea vendor hailing from Ayodhya Nagar. He drowned in a flooded pit on the premises of the Government Medical College and Hospital at 3 a.m. Sanjay had come to visit a relative at GMCH. The Ajni police registered an accidental death case, PTI reported.
These deaths occurred in the wake of heavy rains that deluged various parts of Nagpur city, inundating homes and roads. The city recorded approximately 90 mm of rainfall between 2 am and 4 am on Saturday and the weather department issued an orange alert for the district for the next 24 hours.
Nagpur Flood — Families To Get Rs 10,000, Upto Rs 5 Lakh Compensation For Bigger Establishments: Fadnavis
In response to the dire situation, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced compensation of Rs 10,000 for flood-affected families and up to Rs 5 lakh for larger shops and small roadside establishments that incurred damage due to the deluge.
Speaking to reporters, he revealed that floodwaters had infiltrated approximately 10,000 houses, as per PTI.
All emergency and rescue teams, along with administrative bodies, were placed on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for the city.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who represents Nagpur in Parliament, expressed shock at the unexpected heavy rainfall as he visited affected areas. He emphasised the need for long-term measures to address the recurring issues of waterlogging and flooding in the city.
Gadkari pledged to work with the Maharashtra government to prevent major drains from flooding adjacent areas during heavy rainfalls.
Fadnavis and Gadkari also chaired a review meeting on the flood situation late in the evening.