Pune: Unseasonal Rains Trigger Flooding in Baramati and Daund; NDRF Deployed For Rescue Operations
Pune: Unseasonal Rains Trigger Flooding in Baramati and Daund; NDRF Deployed For Rescue Operations
Heavy pre-monsoon rains lashed Baramati, Daund, and nearby regions in Pune district over the weekend, leading to severe flooding, disrupted traffic, and widespread damage. Triggered by a weather system that made landfall along the Konkan coast, the rains caused river levels in the Kara and Neera to rise sharply, submerging stretches of the Pune-Solapur highway.
Baramati recorded an intense 179 mm of rainfall in 24 hours, an unusual figure for the typically dry region. Indapur tehsil also faced flooding, with over 70 homes affected, while nearly 150 houses in Baramati were inundated. Farmlands and roads were submerged, cutting off access to several villages and complicating rescue operations.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed two teams to Baramati for evacuation and rescue efforts. Residents were moved to temporary shelters set up across eight locations. Seven people in Baramati and two in Indapur who were initially trapped were safely rescued. The NDRF later assisted with another operation in Markad Vasti, Solapur district, where six people were stranded after the Neera river changed course.
Baramati tehsildar Ganesh Shinde issued a public advisory urging residents near rivers and canals to stay indoors unless necessary. The district administration remains on high alert.
Daund, another affected area, recorded 157 mm of rainfall during the same period, the highest in the district.
In Pune city, moderate rainfall was recorded. Hadapsar and Wadgaon Sheri received 36 mm and 43 mm respectively, while Shivajinagar recorded 19.7 mm by May 25 morning. Despite overcast skies, the city saw no major rainfall after that.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Pune district, warning of heavy rainfall in isolated areas until May 27. While rainfall is expected to subside from May 27, ghat regions may continue to see significant showers on May 28.
Coastal districts such as Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg were placed under an orange alert due to very heavy rainfall forecasts.
Authorities have urged citizens, especially those in low-lying or flood-prone areas, to remain vigilant. While the rains have brought relief from summer heat, the sudden deluge has raised concerns about disaster preparedness ahead of the full monsoon season.
