Palghar: Relentless rain continued to batter Palghar district on Thursday, triggering widespread flooding, disrupting transport and power supply, and cutting off more than 200 villages from the rest of the district. Authorities evacuated 891 people from flood-hit areas, while one person died in Dahanu taluka in a rain-related incident.The district recorded an average rainfall of 183.3 mm in the 24 hours ended 8 am on Thursday. Dahanu and Talasari were the worst-hit talukas, where overflowing rivers and submerged roads brought normal life to a standstill. A total of 218 families, comprising 891 residents, were shifted to safer locations as a precaution.The district administration has activated its emergency response mechanism, with four National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams deployed for rescue and relief operations. Authorities said the identity of the deceased in Dahanu is yet to be established.Power supply has remained completely disrupted in Dahanu and Talasari since Wednesday night, while mobile network services have also collapsed in several areas. Floodwaters entered several houses in Bordi and Gholvad, leaving residents stranded. Water levels reached up to three to four feet inside many homes.Rail services have been affected too. Several long-distance trains on the Western Railway network and suburban services on the Dahanu–Churchgate section have been disrupted, causing hardship to thousands of commuters.The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway has also been affected by the heavy rain. Waterlogging on the Talasari–Umbergaon stretch forced authorities to close the road ahead. To prevent traffic congestion, motorists have been advised to park their vehicles near roadside hotels and dhabas along the highway until the water recedes.Heavy rain has also severely affected the power infrastructure. Sixteen Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) substations across Talasari, Dahanu, Wada, Vikramgad, Jawhar and Mokhada have gone offline, while power supply through 108 feeders has been disrupted. Uprooted trees, snapped power lines and damaged electricity poles have left more than one lakh consumers without electricity.Floodwaters have submerged several bridges and roads across the district after rivers and streams crossed the danger mark. As a result, more than 200 villages have been cut off, and traffic on several key roads has been temporarily suspended.An MSRTC bus got stranded in floodwaters on the Saivan–Waghadi road in Dahanu taluka after the driver misjudged the water level while crossing the flooded stretch. Four passengers, along with the driver and conductor, were trapped inside the bus. Local residents and police personnel rushed to the spot and rescued all six using ropes. No injuries were reported.
