Teenager missing in Bhiwandi as relentless monsoon rains claim lives across Maharashtra
On Sunday, relentless monsoon rains battered the region, leading to multiple fatalities across Maharashtra and leaving a 17-year-old boy missing after he was swept away in the Kamwari river in Bhiwandi. The heavy downpour triggered landslides, flooded highways, and prompted authorities to issue an orange alert for Thane and surrounding districts.
The missing teenager in Bhiwandi was identified as Mohammad Gaus Ansari. According to reports, Ansari was swimming with his friends in the Kamwari river when the strong currents swept him away.
The heavy showers claimed several other lives across the state on Sunday. In Raigad, four tourists drowned in three separate incidents. Following the tragedies, Raigad resident deputy collector Sandesh Shirke urged the public to avoid visiting monsoon tourist destinations until weather conditions improved.
Rain-related deaths were also reported in Palghar, Satara, and Beed. In Palghar, a child died after becoming trapped in floodwaters. In Satara, a motorist was crushed to death by a boulder during a landslide on the Satara-Phaltan road. In Beed, a 26-year-old farmer, identified as Mauli Gonde, was electrocuted and killed after coming into contact with a live wire while working in his field.
The intense rainfall severely disrupted transport networks and closed popular travel routes. Landslides forced the closure of the Ambenali Ghat, which connects Poladpur and Mahabaleshwar. Additionally, all roads leading to the hill station of Matheran were shut down after the area recorded over 400 mm of rainfall by Sunday morning.
In Chiplun, heavy showers inundated local roads, while the Panchganga and Bhogawati rivers in Kolhapur rose close to warning levels, prompting authorities to alert residents living along the riverbanks. Meanwhile, off the coast of Dighi, three fishermen were rescued by ferry operators after their boat capsized in rough seas during a high tide.
In response to the severe weather, the state deployed 17 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and six State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Raigad, alongside orange alerts for Thane, Mumbai, Palghar, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg.
