Heavy showers cause waterlogging in Pune city; 268 mm rainfall so far in Oct

Heavy rains battered Maharashtra's Pune city overnight and on Tuesday morning, causing waterlogging and forcing evacuation of people from low-lying areas as Shivajinagar locality alone received 104 mm rainfall in just five hours.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune city, an education and IT hub, has received 268 mm of rainfall so far in October.

Waterlogging was witnessed in many areas, including Hapsar, Market Yard, Sinhag Ro, NIBM Ro, B T Kawe Ro, Katraj, Deccan, Karve Nagar, Kothrud and Kondhwa.

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

Seven goats have been swept away in floodwaters in Kanhur Mesai area of Shirur tehsil of western Maharashtra city, y said.

According to IMD, Shivajinagar recorded 104 mm rainfall in about five hours till 3 am on Tuesday, Magarpatta 116 mm and Pashan area 94 mm during same period.

Twelve people stranded in rainwaters in Mangalwar Peth and Kondhwa areas were rescued and moved to safer places, fire brige officials said.

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

IMD's wear forecasting department he Anupam Kashyapi said satellite images revealed, "re was enough moisture in state." rain activity in city will reduce from Wednesday, he ded.

Speaking about heavy showers on late Monday night and subsequent waterlogging in various parts of city, Vikram Kumar, Commissioner, of Pune Municipal Corporation, said this year's rainfall in month of October has been unprecedented.

A few days ago too city h received heavy showers.

"Yesterday, in a couple of hours, 105 mm rainfall was recorded. A rainfall of 65 mm (in a few hours) is considered heavy rainfall. However, yesterday almost double that rainfall was witnessed in city," he said.

He said PMC's stormwater system has been designed to handle 65 mm of rainfall, but on late Monday night and in early hours of Tuesday, 105 mm of showers was received which led to waterlogging and inundation of ros.

"When such a rain activity takes place, a lot of mud, soil and plastic go into stormwater lines which les to obstruction in water flow. Our teams were on ground to remove all se hurdles yesterday," said senior bureaucrat.

Asked if re was a need to revamp stormwater lines in city, civic commissioner said drainage system was designed after taking into consideration average rainfall of last 100 years.

Leer of Opposition in Assembly Ajit Pawar of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) criticised ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over waterlogging in city.

Pawar, an MLA from Pune district, said BJP has left IT and education hub in a "mess" in name of making it a "smart" city.

BJP was in power in Pune civic corporation for five years till tenure of elected body ended earlier this year.