58 airlifted from Thane district, 600 villagers rescued in Raigad

MUMBAI/ NAVI MUMBAI: As heavy rain lashed most parts of the state, an Indian Air Force helicopter (Mi 17) airlifted 58 people from Ju-Nandkhuri village near Khadavli in Thane district after the water level in the nearby Bhatsa lake rose and flooded the area, while in Raigad, the district administration, with help of Indian Coast Guard, NDRF, and a local adventure group, rescued at least 600 villagers on Sunday.
In another rescue operation, 162 people were evacuated by the Indian Army from Vasind and Diva in Thane district.
However, nearly 60 people were stranded inside a resort in Palghar district and another 15 people in Buranda village till the time of going to press. An IAF helicopter tried to locate the villagers, but could not and had to return to base. “Once water recedes, we can attempt to rescue them by boats or else another sortie will be conducted on Monday morning by the IAF,” said Abhay Yawalkar, director of the state disaster management unit.
The IAF rescue operation at Ju-Nandkhuri village lasted almost two hours and the 58 villagers were relocated to the Thane air force station base. “The IAF chopper rescued 42 adults and 16 children from Ju Nandkhuri village... The helicopter has been launched by IAF from Santacruz on request by the government,” an Indian defence spokesperson told TOI.
Meanwhile, army and navy teams joined NDRF and other teams to carry out rescue operations at Kalyan, Badlapur, Ulhasnagar and other flood-affected areas.
In Raigad, people were rescued from Vashi, Kane and Anture villages in Pen taluka, Sone Chi Wadi in Mangaon and from Roha and Nagothane talukas. Raigad district disaster management officer Sagar Pathak said, “Coast Guard evacuated 200 people from Vashi village, an NDRF team evacuated 120 villagers from Kane, and Wilder West Adventure and other teams rescued 65 people from Nature village...Pen taluka villages were hit as six gates of Hetawane dam were opened.”