The flood situation in Maharashtra has aggravated as rains continue to batter parts of the state. The death toll reached 27, whereas over two lakh people were evacuated as of Friday, 9 August.
The worst-hit areas remain Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur.
Rescue Teams Deployed
A dozen rescue teams of the Indian Navy were deployed in the Sangli district of Western Maharashtra.
These 12 Navy teams were to be deployed on Friday in Sangli in addition to the teams already present in Kolhapur, PTI reported.
A helicopter is also being deployed to drop relief material in Sangli district and it may also be used to evacuate stranded people.
Rescue measures are underway in rural as well as urban areas of the western Maharashtra district.
‘Non-Perishable Food Items Preferable for Donations’
A senior official said that non-perishable food items such as biscuits would be preferable as donation for flood victims.
If people want to donate materials, non-perishable food items like biscuits and instant noodles and water bottles would be useful, PTI reported quoting a senior official said.
As to clothes, only new ones would be accepted, he added.
Those who want to give monetary help can contribute to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
Controversy Over Minister’s Selfie
Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan on Friday stoked a controversy after two selfie video clips surfaced purportedly showing him smiling and waving hands cheerfully as he surveyed parts of the flood-hit district.
This prompted the opposition NCP to rebuke Mahajan.
Questioning if the minister was on "tourism", the NCP asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to seek resignation of the "insensitive" water resources minister.
In one of the clips, an unknown person accompanying Mahajan is seen taking selfie video as they rode through water in parts of Kolhapur in western Maharashtra.
The BJP minister can be seen smiling and waving hands in this clip.
In another clip, Mahajan is seen inspecting the flood situation standing on a road as the person filmed the selfie video.
Meanwhile, Congress MLAs and MPs from Maharashtra would be donating one month's salary for flood relief in the state, the party announced on Friday.
State Congress president Balasaheb Thoratmade said after touring flood-affected areas of Sangli, Kolhapur and Satara.
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