Maharashtra: Devotees throng to mosques to offer namaz in flood-affected Kolhapur

People in various villages of flood-affected Kolhapur district gathered at different mosques to offer special namaz on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha.

People in Shiroli village of the district came out in large numbers to offer their prayers and share their happiness with family and friends.

The district that had been gripped under severe flood since the last few days has started returning to normalcy after rains stopped and flood-water started receding.

Yesterday, the Daroom Uloom Madrasa in Shiroli opened its doors for the flood-affected victims of the region and is providing round the clock relief and essentials to the people from nearby villages, doctors of the Madrasa trust said.

Meanwhile, flood-affected National Highway (NH) 4 has also re-opened for heavy vehicles and SUVs at Kolhapur-Sangli Phata.

Since last week, large parts of Kolhapur were affected by floods with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) being pressed into service for rescue operations. Over a thousand people have been evacuated from Kolhapur's Hasur and Nrusinhawadi areas.

Earlier on Sunday, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah undertook an aerial survey of flood-affected areas Belgavi district of Karnataka and Sangli and Kolhapur of Maharashtra on Sunday to take stock of the situation.

In wake of incessant rain and flood playing havoc in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday took a detailed review meeting with chief secretary, senior officials from resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R), disaster management department and other concerned officials at Ministry Control Room.

The death toll due to floods and heavy rainfall in Pune division has reached 40 while three people are missing, an official statement said on Sunday.

According to the statement from the Divisional Commissioner's office here, at least 4,41,835 people have been evacuated to 524 temporary shelters in Pune, Sangli, Kolhapur, Satara and Solapur districts.

On Friday, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had rescued close to 2,000 people from Kolhapur district.

( With inputs from ANI )