Maharashtra Chief Minister Mr Uddhav Thackeray visited the landslide site of Taliye village in Mahad, Raigad district, India on 24 July 2021. Photo: Government of Maharashtra

The heavy rain brought floods and landslides affected 1028 villages across the districts of Ratnagiri, Raigad, Kolhapur, Thane, Sangli, Satara, Sindhudurg, Pune, Wardha and suburban areas of Mumbai. Over 40 roads were submerged and a bridge on the Vashishti river at Chiplun was severely damaged.

At one point at total of 375,178 people were displaced from their homes, most recently in low-lying areas of Kolhapur District along the Panchganga River which overflowed after heavy rain and releases from the Koyna dam.

India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)and military have carried out massive search and rescue (SAR) efforts over the past week. NDRF teams alone rescued 3,804 people from flood waters.

The biggest SAR operations were at landslide sites in Raigad District, where 30 houses were buried and 95 people bodies were recovered, and in Ratnagiri District where 21 bodies have been recovered. Fatalities were also reported in Satara and Kolhapur Districts. Authorities say at least 25 people are still missing. However, almost a week after disaster struck, search and rescue operations have been called off in many areas.