337 killed in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra during monsoon: Govt report

Mumbai, Oct 7 (PTI) Rain-related incidents, including floods, lightning strikes and landslides, have claimed the lives of 337 people in Maharashtra during ongoing kharif season, a government report said on Tuesday.

Kharif farming season starts with the onset of the monsoon and generally ends in October.

The report, prepared by district collectors and submitted to the disaster, relief and rehabilitation department, gives information about the fatalities caused by monsoon rains that battered several regions between May and September.

The deaths occurred during heavy rainfall episodes, starting with the intense showers of southwest monsoon in late May, followed by downpours in August and the deluge that hit Marathwada in mid-September.

Rain-related incidents like floods, drowning, lightning strikes and landslides snuffed out the lives of 337 persons across the state during this period, as per the data.

"However, the data of farmers dying by suicide is not included in the 337 deaths recorded so far across Maharashtra," a senior official from the department said.

Apart from people, as many as 5,085 milch animals and 4,390 other cattle perished, along with 1,87,498 poultry birds. A total of 2,159 houses were completely destroyed, while 148 kuccha homes in hilly areas were damaged. As many as 1,370 shops and 519 huts were reduced to rubble, it added.

Additionally, 1,902 cattle sheds adjacent to homes were damaged, and 42,622 houses suffered partial damage due to excessive rainfall, the report said.

Heavy rainfall and floods in September severely affected Marathwada and adjoining regions, destroying crops on 68.69 lakh hectares across the state. Districts including Beed, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nanded, Yavatmal, Latur, Solapur, Dharashiv, Jalna, Parbhani, Buldhana, Hingoli, Nashik, and Washim reported severe crop losses.

The Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government on Tuesday announced a compensation package of Rs 31,628 crore for the flood-affected farmers. PTI ND NP