Pune rains: Landslide kills three in Maval; rail ops affected on Lonavala-Karjat route

Pune, Jul 6 (PTI) Pune witnessed heavy rains on Monday, triggering landslides, one of which killed three persons of a family, and disruption to road and rail traffic, prompting operations that saw 30 people being rescued and more than 270 shifted to safety, officials said. According to the district administration, 27 revenue circles received more than 65 mm of rainfall, with Maval recording the highest precipitation of 237.3 mm. Three members of a family were killed after their house was buried under a landslide at Patan village in Maval in the early hours of Monday. In Maval itself, the fire brigade rescued 30 employees stranded in a company bus in the Talegaon area, while 250 residents of Taje village were shifted to safer locations as a precaution, officials said. All efforts to clear landslides on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near the Missing Link section and on the Lonavala-Karjat railway route were underway in order to restore the routes for traffic, officials said. In Haveli tehsil, 22 to 24 persons from five families were evacuated from Bhavadi village, they added. In Alandi, pilgrims staying in the temple premises and dharamshalas were shifted to safer places following a rise in the water level of the Indrayani river. Authorities also closed bridges and vulnerable routes in Alandi, Dehu and other flood-affected areas as a precaution. Rescue teams were also deployed in Mulshi, Bhor, Velhe, Khed, Purandar and other parts of the district to clear landslides, restore roads and evacuate residents from vulnerable locations. In Pune city, a dangerous building in Sadashiv Peth was evacuated, while rescue operations were also undertaken in Pimpri Chinchwad and Shirur, where search operations for missing persons were continuing, officials said. Pune and its adjoining areas have been witnessing very heavy rains since July 5, requiring largescale deployment of revenue department, police, fire brigade, NDRF, SDRF and local civic bodies' personnel for rescue and relief operations. PTI SPK BNM