Maha monsoon mayhem: Death toll rises to 164

Mumbai/Pune: The death toll in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra rose to 164 on Monday after the recovery of 11 more bodies in Raigad and two each in Wardha and Akola, the state government said, while Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar toured flood-hit villages in Sangli district and said a decision on providing financial relief will be taken in a couple of days.

As many as 100 people were still missing and so far, 2,29,074 persons have been evacuated from the flood and rain-affected affected areas and moved to safer places, the government said in a statement in Mumbai. The administration of Raigad, the worst-hit district located in the coastal Konkan region, on Monday called off the search operations for 31 missing people in Taliye village which was ravaged by a massive landslide after heavy rains last week, an official said.

According to the government, 71 people have died in Raigad district, 41 in Satara, 21 in Ratnagiri, 12 in Thane, seven in Kolhapur, four in Mumbai and two each in Sindhudurg, Pune, Wardha and Akola. Besides, 56 people have been injured in rain-related incidents, it said. In Raigad, 53 people were reported missing, in Satara-27, Ratnagiri-14, Thane-four, and Sindhudurg and Kolhapur-one each.

The release further said 34 people were so far injured in Raigad, seven each in Mumbai and Ratnagiri, six in Thane and two in Sindhudurg.

So far, 53 people have died in Taliye village and five are injured, while 31 people are still missing and they will be declared dead following the due process, Raigad district Collector Nidhi Chaudhari said.

The village, located in Mahad taluka of Raigad, witnessed the deadly landslide last Thursday after heavy rains, flattening several houses in the area.

The Collector said the decision to call of the search operations was taken after seeking opinion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the disaster response forces of the state and neighbouring Thane district.

"The rescue operations have ended officially. We have withdrawn our teams from Taliye. The 31 missing will be declared dead following the due process...relatives of the missing people demanded closure of the operations since yesterday (Sunday)," the Collector said.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray visited the village on Saturday and said as landslides proved fatal in many parts of the state, the government would come up with a plan to permanently relocate people living in hilly areas.

A decision on providing relief to the people affected by floods will be taken in the next couple of days, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said after he toured various rain-hit villages in Sangli district and used a rescue boat to reach out to victims in some areas on Monday.With agency inputs