Contact with ninety villages lost

The flood situation in Kolhapur district of western Maharashtra continued to remain grim, prompting district authorities to alert the Army.

"Army has been put on alert in view of the flood situation in the district", official sources said.

The Panchganga river in Kolhapur city touched the 43 feet danger level mark, the sources said.

The river water level is increasing at the rate of an inch per hour, they said.

Meanwhile, rescue boats sent by the relief and rehabilitation department have reached Kolhapur, the sources said.

The boats have been sent to the worst-affected Shirol, Nrisimhawadi, Orwad and Takli areas, they said.

Contact with over 90 villages in the district has been lost. Roads connecting Gaganbawda, Panhala, Ratnagiri from Kolhapur are closed for traffic due to heavy rains. MSRTC has suspended bus service on 35 routes in the district, they said.

In Mumbai, rail traffic, which had to be suspended for the last two days on the Central and Harbour sections, became almost normal today with suburban trains running slightly behind schedule but long-distance trains running as per schedule, Railway sources said.

Road traffic was plying normally in the morning as water receded from several low-lying areas.

Schools and colleges also reopened after three days.

However, along Maharashtra-Goa coast, danger warning indicating flag LC-3 has been hoisted, the Met office said.