Pune Rains LIVE: 3 Electrocuted, Power Outage In Many Areas, CM Shinde Says, 'Will Airlift People'

Pune: Three people aged 18-25 were electrocuted near Baba Bhide Bridge on the Mutha River around 3 am on Thursday while shifting their food cart due to rising water levels. The incident occurred in Pune's Deccan Gymkhana area amid heavy rains, as their handcart got submerged, said Pune Police. 

The men Abhishek Ghanekar, Akash Mane, and Shiva Parihar, who sold egg dishes from a roadside handcart were electrocuted while shifting their food stall. They were rushed to a hospital but died during treatment.

Incessant rains have lashed the Pune city, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a generally cloudy sky and heavy rainfall for Thursday. The IMD had issued a 'red' alert for the region due to the expected extremely heavy downpour. 

Residents have been advised to exercise caution and prepare for severe weather conditions, as the alert indicates a high risk of significant impacts. Many people have shared visuals of waterlogging and disruptions on X (formerly Twitter), with Punekars reporting heavy rain continuing for several hours.

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• About 400 people were evacuated to safety following flooding in Sinhagad Road and some other areas along the riverbank in Pune city due to incessant rains. Two columns of the Army were deployed in Sinhagad Road area which was severely affected by flooding, said officials.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said if the need arises, the rain-hit people will be airlifted in Pune, where incessant downpour has claimed four lives and inundated residential colonies and houses in low-lying areas. "If the need arises, we have told them to airlift people. There is no need to worry," the chief minister said. He said he has directed the administration to stay on alert mode and make necessary arrangements and ensure there is no loss of life.
• Three men died while they were trying to move their handcart, submerged in water in Deccan area, to a safer place, while one person died in a landslide in Tamhini ghat section in Mulshi tehsil, officials said.
•  In the city, housing societies in the low-lying areas, such as Sinhagad Road, Bavdhan, Baner and Deccan Gymkhana, witnessed flooding and inundation and efforts have been launched by the fire brigade and disaster management cell of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to evacuate the stranded people, the officials said.
• Two landslides has been confirmed near Pune rural. One occurred in Tamhini Ghat, Maval tehsil, near Adarwadi and Dasave village by Lavasa. An NDRF team has arrived, and a rescue operation is underway for three trapped individuals.
• Two NDRF teams have been dispatched to Ekta Nagari, Sinhagad Road, Pune, to rescue residents trapped in waterlogged homes, according to NDRF officials. The teams were sent from the 5th Battalion NDRF headquarters in Talegaon following a request from local authorities. A third NDRF team has been requisitioned for deployment in the Warje area of Pune, NDRF officials added.
• Suhas Diwase, Pune Collector said, “I urge Pune residents to avoid going to these places such as lakes, dams, waterfalls, forts which are extremely risky at the moment. All of them have been closed down. There are many vulnerable places, roads, and bridges in the district which have been closed."
• Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar reviewed the situation at Pune district headquarters following heavy rains. He discussed relief measures with the District Collector and Disaster Management chief, instructing authorities to assist those affected, particularly in Khadakwasla and Pimpri Chinchwad.
• Pune district collector Suhas Diwase said that in the wake of heavy rains in the Khadakwasla dam's catchment area, water has been released from the reservoir. "As the catchment areas of Khadakwasla dam has been witnessing incessant rains, water is being released at over 35,000 cusec and it will further increase to 45,000 cusec. Due to the water discharge, several low lying areas along the Mutha river witnessed inundation and flooding," he said.
• Considering heavy rainfall in the 'ghat' (mountain pass) sections of Khed, Junnar, Ambegaon, Velha, Mulshi, Maval, Bhor, Haveli talukas and Pimpri Chinchwad as well as Pune city area, Collector Suhas Diwase has ordered the closure of schools.