KOLHAPUR, Aug 1: People living on the banks of rivers in Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli and Nasik districts of Maharashtra have been alerted by the district administrations to move to safer places as the rivers were in spate following incessant rains for the past four days, affecting normal life. Hundreds of people had been shifted to safer places as flood waters entered Haldi, Phejvade and Aoli Budruk villages in Kolhapur district, reports received here today said.Normal life in the district has been thrown out of gear and vehicular traffic disrupted as Krishna, Panchaganga, Bhogawati, Kumbhi and Kasari rivers and their tributaries were flowing above danger level at many places, inundating roads and low lying areas, city flood control cell told PTI.In Nasik, low lying areas were inundated and power supply and telecommunication were badly affected due to heavy rains. People from Chandori and Saykheda villages have been asked to move to safer places and several slum dwellers were shifted as rain waters entered their hutments.Water level in river Panchaganga in Kolhapur district rose well above the danger level near Rajaram Bandhara this afternoon, flood control cell said.Vehicular traffic was disrupted and several roads were submerged in flood waters in Mahabaleshwar and Koynanagar in Satara district which had a record rainfall.GANDHINAGAR:Meanwhile, the Gujarat state reserve police today evacuated at least 5,000 persons from low-lying areas in Gandhinagar, and administrative machinery was put on an alert to meet flood threats as heavy rains lashed south, central and north Gujarat.Helicopters were brought in to monitor the situation and the Army moved into Chiloda in Gandhinagar district and Bayad in Sabarkantha with boats to oversee rescue operations.B P Meena, Relief Commissioner, said in a statement, District Collectors have been asked to stand by as part of the State Government's measures to tackle the situation.Incessant rains have been lashing districts of Dangs, Bulsar, Sabarkantha, Panchmahal, Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad since the last 48 hours.Teams of State Reserve Police were also sent to Kaira, Sabarkantha and Bulsar district.
