Maharashtra CM asks officials to be alert as fresh rains predicted

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav

Thackeray on Friday instructed the administration to remain alert considering a prediction of heavy rainfall again for some days in the state.

He asked the authorities to ensure that people are not caught off-guard.

People in flood-prone areas should be shifted to safer locations by taking them into confidence, he said.

Heavy rains and floods have claimed at least 48 lives in Maharashtra's Pune, Aurangabad and Konkan divisions in the last three days while crops on lakhs of hectares have been damaged extensively.

The chief minister made the remarks during a meeting with divisional commissioners of Pune, Konkan, Aurangabad and Nashik and districtcollectors from these regions to review the flood situation.

He also instructed that COVID-19-related precautions should be taken while carrying out relief work in flood- affected areas and masks and sanitisers be made available.

Thackeray also ordered immediate spot inspections of damage to crops and properties and disbursal of financial aid to the kin of those who died in rain-related incidents.