Nanded Floods After Dam Overflow, 6 People Rescued Including 2 Elderly
Flooding from Vishnupuri Dam overflow leads to evacuations and emergency aid in Nanded.
In a dramatic response to surging floodwaters, disaster management teams and fire brigade personnel evacuated six residents, including two elderly individuals, from the waterlogged Vasarni area in Panchavatinagar, Nanded district, Maharashtra, on Thursday. The operation was triggered by an unprecedented discharge from the Vishnupuri Dam, which peaked at 1.80 lakh cubic feet per second (cusec) late Wednesday night, inundating several low-lying zones around Nanded city along the Godavari River.
The Vishnupuri Dam, located just 5 km from Nanded and recognized as Asia's largest lift irrigation project, was forced to release excess water due to heavy monsoon inflows that have battered the Marathwada region in recent weeks. This barrage, with a storage capacity of approximately 80.79 million cubic meters, plays a critical role in irrigating vast farmlands but has historically contributed to downstream flooding during peak rainy seasons.
The sudden surge caused the Godavari River to overflow, severing access to nearby villages and turning residential streets into raging torrents. Among those rescued were Balaji Annapurne (32), Ajay Annapurne (27), Renuka Annapurne (20), Shivnanda Annapurne (49), Mahalabai Mahatme (65), and Vitthalrao Mahatme (79), who were safely relocated to higher ground, officials confirmed.
The flooding extended beyond Vasarni, with the Godavari's overflow isolating the village of Rahegaon late Wednesday. In a proactive measure, authorities established a temporary medical camp there to provide essential healthcare to stranded residents. "We have completed medical check-ups for 130 villagers, addressing minor injuries and health concerns exacerbated by the deluge," a disaster management authority official stated. No fatalities have been reported in this latest incident, though the region has seen broader impacts from ongoing monsoon fury, including crop damage across over 6.20 lakh hectares in Nanded alone earlier this month.
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This event is part of a larger pattern of severe weather in Maharashtra's Marathwada division, where excessive rainfall has affected 191 talukas and damaged Kharif crops in 654 revenue circles. Recent floods in Nanded, just weeks ago in late August, necessitated the evacuation of over 5,000 people and the deployment of the Indian Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for large-scale rescues.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had personally monitored those operations, highlighting the state's vulnerability to climate-amplified monsoons. In Hingoli and Nanded districts, similar inundations earlier in September displaced over 200 residents and caused property damage, with water levels rising to second floors in some urban pockets like Vasarni's Panchavati Sai Baba Kaman area.
Fortunately, the situation is stabilizing. The dam's discharge has tapered off, and no heavy rainfall is forecast, allowing water levels to recede. "The district is now under control and normalizing," the official added, crediting coordinated efforts by local teams. As the Godavari continues to swell from upstream contributions like the Pranahita and Indravati tributaries, authorities urge residents in low-lying areas to remain vigilant, with ongoing surveys planned for agricultural losses.
This incident underscores the dual role of dams like Vishnupuri in sustaining agriculture while posing flood risks, amid calls for enhanced early warning systems in flood-prone Marathwada.
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