Intense monsoon downpours have battered parts of Maharashtra, resulting in three deaths and the safe evacuation of more than 120 people in the last 24 hours, according to the State Disaster Management Department. The fatalities, linked to rain-related incidents, occurred amid widespread flooding in the drought-prone Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, where low-lying areas were inundated and rivers swelled to dangerous levels.

This latest bout of heavy weather compounds the state's challenges during an already erratic monsoon season, which has seen erratic rainfall patterns attributed to climate variability.

The hardest-hit areas included five of Marathwada's eight districts, with Beed recording the highest rainfall at 143.7 mm, followed by Nanded at 131.6 mm and Jalna at 121.4 mm in the 24 hours ending Tuesday morning. Beed and Ahmednagar (Ahilyanagar) suffered the most severe disruptions, with flash floods sweeping through villages and towns, damaging homes and halting daily activities.

Two deaths were reported in Beed, while one occurred in Nagpur. At least 41 revenue circles across Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Beed, and Nanded received over 65 mm of rain on Monday, exacerbating the crisis in these agriculturally vulnerable zones.

Rescue operations mobilized swiftly, involving 12 teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), alongside state agencies, fire brigades, police, and local volunteers. Over 3.42 lakh cusecs of water were released from 11 major irrigation projects in Marathwada to manage rising levels, though authorities continue to monitor dams and vulnerable sites closely.

In Beed, an NDRF unit remains deployed, while an Indian Army team was stood down after initial assistance. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the district's guardian minister, convened a review meeting, directing a damage assessment survey to begin immediately.

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The India Meteorological Department has issued warnings for continued heavy showers in Marathwada and Vidarbha, urging residents to avoid riverbanks and low-lying areas. Officials emphasized preparedness to prevent further casualties, as the active monsoon threatens to prolong disruptions in these regions, which have historically alternated between droughts and floods.

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