VIDEOS: 35 Houses Collapse as Satara Faces Worst May Rains In 5 Years—Homes Destroyed, Livestock Dead, Crops Underwater
Satara district has been experiencing continuous heavy rainfall for the past four days, resulting in significant damage across the region. A total of 35 houses have collapsed in various parts of the district, including Satara city. In Khatav taluka alone, 150 chickens have perished. Additionally, six livestock fatalities have been reported in different areas. The cumulative losses incurred are estimated to be in the range of several lakh rupees.
Pre-monsoon rains have severely affected Satara city and the district. Rainwater has entered houses, ground floors of buildings, and shops, causing damage worth lakhs. A large amount of water has accumulated in the fields. The lives of the poor have been disrupted due to the collapse of houses caused by the rain. Due to unseasonal rains, 11 houses have collapsed in Satara taluka, 11 in Patan, 3 in Koregaon, 2 in Wai, 1 in Khandala, 1 in Man, and 1 in Khatav. 6 animals have died in Wai taluka, 2 in Man, 2 in Khatav, and 1 in Phaltan, while 150 chickens have died in Khatav taluka.
Also, pomegranate crops have been damaged in Mardi, Tal. Man, and Tal. Khatav. The rain has damaged a house and a shed.
The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Satara district for the next 72 hours.
No time to submit the pre-monsoon plans
Satara District Collector Santosh Patil had instructed the Disaster Management Department to submit pre-monsoon plans. However, even before that, the unseasonal rain hit Satara district so hard that there was no time to submit the plans. It is estimated that major damage has already occurred in the district, including Satara city. This year, for the first time in the last five years, the pre-monsoon rain has hit Satara district hard. The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Satara district for the next 72 hours. Due to heavy rain on the Pune-Bangalore highway, many incidents have occurred, such as water accumulating on the highway, blocking traffic, or vehicles getting submerged and engines being damaged.
Written complaints about flooding in houses have been filed with the Satara Municipality. The Disaster Management Department of the municipality is currently engaged in removing soil from the roads. The seven main streams and other watercourses of Satara city have been cleaned. At present, the work of removing the sand and soil newly thrown by the streams onto the roads is underway.
The intensity of the rains in Satara district continues for the fifth consecutive day. Heavy showers of rain were falling in all directions in the district throughout Friday. A flood-like situation has been created in most places in the district. Agricultural crops and orchards have been damaged. In the 24 hours until Thursday morning, an average of 34 millimeters of rainfall was recorded in the district. Meanwhile, Mahabaleshwar taluka, recorded 55 millimeters of rainfall.
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