NAGPUR: Heavy rains have pounded different parts of the Vidarbha region in Maharashtra over the past few days and have battered several districts, like Nagpur, Amravati, Yavatmal, Nanded, Akola etc. and since the past 10  days with reports of nearly 16 killed in related incidents in the week. 

Due to flooding and washing away of roads, connection to several villages of the Vidarbha region is cut off as the rivers are in spate and overflowing and the supply of electricity and potable water has been badly affected. Heavy downpour has especially led to flood-like situation in Buldhana, Jalgaon-Jamod and Sangrampur tehsil.

In the Nanded district, the Painganga River is overflowing and the resulting flood has cut road connections between Vidarbha and Marathwada. Between Marathwada and Nanded, Painganga water is flowing above the bridge leading to Nanded being cut from the other regions of Vidarbha. In the Amravati division, Chandur Bazaar, Warud, Morshi and Dhamangaon are the worst-hit tehsils.

According to Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Nagpur over the past 24 hours, Nagpur recorded 6.7 mm, Amravati 15.6 mm,  Gadchiroli with 3.0 mm, Gondia 2.2 mm, Brahmpuri 2.4 mm and Buldhana 2.0 mm, Akola 107.9 mm rainfall, followed by Yavatmal at 24.0 mm, Wardha 23.4 mm.

According to the reports, in the Nagpur division, three people were killed in Gadchiroli and Bhandara respectively, Wardha and Gondia reported two deaths, while Chandrapur reported one death in the past few days.

The Amravati division recorded four deaths on July 21 with Yavatmal topping the list with three fatalities. Akola and Buldhana recorded one death each over the week.

According to available figures, the rain wrath has so far caused damage to 1,601 houses and huts in six districts of Nagpur division while 39 animals were also killed.

Rains and flooding also affected 875.84 hectares of agricultural land in the Nagpur division, including 853.74 hectares in Chandrapur and 221 hectares in Wardha.

In several villages people are stuck due to rising water and the local administration had requested and pressed two Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters into action to rescue nearly 45 villagers from the Anandnager hamlet in Mahagaon taluka of Yavatmal which received  231 mm of rainfall in the past two days. 

However, since the area was heavily inundated with water the helicopters could not find a landing place and they had to be landed on a state highway nearby from where the villagers were rescued. 

According to the state administration, nearly 300 people have been rescued and more such operations are going on as the RMC has predicted more heavy rains in the days to come.