Pune Rains: Shivajinagar records 3rd highest 24-hour rainfall in July in 66 years

Mutha river overflows in Pune amid heavy rainfall on Thursday. Pic/ PTI

Pune's Shivajinagar received 114 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours period ending at 8.30 am on Thursday, the third-highest in a single day in 66 years, as per the Indian Meteorological Department, reported PTI.

The highest 24-hour July rainfall in Shivajinagar in central Pune was recorded on July 19, 1958 at at 130.4 mm, followed by 117.9 mm on July 27, 1967, they said, reported PTI.

As per the data recorded at the Shivajinagar weather station, the area received 114 mm of rain between 8.30 am on Wednesday and 8.30 am on Thursday.

Heavy rains have wreaked havoc in Pune since Wednesday evening. At least four persons have died in rain-related incidents on Thursday, while several houses and residential societies in low-lying areas in the city were inundated, prompting evacuation, as per officials. Following the situation and amid alerts of heavy rainfall, all schools have been declared shut on July 26 in Pune district.

According to the IMD, the rainfall in the Lavasa area in Mulshi tehsil of Pune district stood at 455.5 mm in 24 hours (between 8.30 am on Wednesday and 8.30 am on Thursday), followed by Lonavala (322 mm), Nimgiri (232 mm), Malin (180 mm), Chinchwad (175 mm), Talegaon (167 mm), NDA (167 mm), and Lavale (166 mm).

One person died in a rain-related incident, while two individuals were feared trapped after a landslide in Lavasa due to heavy rainfall. Three villas were swept away in the landslide that occurred on Thursday.

According to the police, two people, employed as caretakers, were feared trapped in one of the three bungalows that came under the debris of the early morning landslide in Dasve village. A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local administration personnel are engaged in a search and rescue operation at the landslide site.

As per the PTI report, across Pune city, areas like Wadgaonsheri, Pashan, Shivajinagar and Hadapsar received rainfall between 108 mm and 140 mm in the 24 hours, said IMD officials.

IMD has predicted ¿incessant heavy to very heavy rains¿ in Pune and its neighbouring areas and has forecast ¿red alert¿ (very heavy to extremely heavy) at isolated places in the ghat sections.