Daijiworld Media Network - Kolhapur

Kolhapur, Aug 23: Over 2,500 people have been evacuated from flood-hit areas in Kolhapur and Sangli districts since Thursday night as rain intensity and water discharge gradually decreased.

On Friday evening, the Panchaganga River flowed at 42.3 ft against its danger level of 43 ft at Rajaram barrage in Kolhapur, while the Krishna River was at its warning level of 40 ft at Irwin Bridge in Sangli. Water discharge from dams included 2,109 cusecs from Koyna, 2,928 cusecs from Radhanagari, 6,100 cusecs from Dudhganga, 1,630 cusecs from Warna, and 1,162 cusecs from Dhom.

Despite receding water levels, several highways and roads remained affected, with eight state highways, 12 district roads, 25 major district roads, 31 rural roads, and 47 barrages still submerged. At least 10 villages were completely cut off, prompting ongoing evacuations. In Kolhapur, 1,491 people from 440 families were shifted to shelter homes, and 95 mud houses along with four cattle sheds partially collapsed in 24 hours.

MSRTC bus services were severely affected, with 1,417 bus rounds canceled over three days, causing losses exceeding Rs 20 lakh. District disaster management head Prasad Sankpal said rainfall had reduced, with Kolhapur receiving 5.7 mm in 24 hours, Gaganbawda tehsil recording the highest at 30.8 mm.

The Kolhapur-Ratnagiri stretch of the Nagpur-Ratnagiri highway was reopened. In Satara, Koyna dam catchment recorded 24 mm, Navaja 25 mm, and Mahabaleshwar 20 mm of rainfall. In Solapur, Ujani dam discharged 1,45,000 cusecs, raising the Chandrabhaga River above warning levels.