Pune District Reels Under Monsoon Onslaught; Three Dead, Red Alert Issued

Pune, 27th May 2025: Torrential rains have unleashed chaos across Pune district, claiming three lives in the past 24 hours and causing significant damage to homes, agriculture, and infrastructure. The worst-hit areas include Baramati, Daund, and Khed talukas, where the impact of the rainfall has been especially severe.

One of the fatalities occurred in Daund, where a 75-year-old woman, Tarabai Vishwachand Aher, died after a dilapidated wall collapsed on her during heavy rains. The incident happened inside a shop where she had taken shelter. She was rushed to a private hospital but succumbed to her injuries during treatment.

In a separate incident in Khed taluka, a 27-year-old man, Santosh Gulab Khandve of Thakarwadi village, was struck by lightning while fishing near the Bhama Askhed dam. He died on the spot.

Another tragedy unfolded in Pune’s Karvenagar area when a large tree branch fell on a passing two-wheeler rider, Rahul Narhar Joshi (49), during a rainstorm on Monday (26th May) evening. Joshi was on his way home when the accident occurred near Alankar Police Station. Despite being taken to a private hospital, he could not be saved. Fire brigade personnel later cleared the fallen branches to resume traffic flow, which had been disrupted for some time.

Meanwhile, the district is facing widespread damage to crops and property. Standing crops like vegetables, sugarcane, fruit orchards, and fodder have been severely affected. Floodwaters have entered homes in several rural areas, forcing families to evacuate.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the Pune and Satara districts, particularly their ghat regions, warning of extremely heavy rainfall over the next two days. Similar alerts have been issued for Kolhapur and adjoining areas.

Other regions like Thane, Mumbai, and Raigad have already started experiencing heavy downpours. The IMD forecasts thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds in Ratnagiri within the next 48 hours and has placed the district, along with Sindhudurg, under a red alert.

Additionally, an orange alert has been declared for Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and several inland districts including Kolhapur, Satara, and Pune. Rainfall has also begun in parts of Sangli, Solapur, Beed, Latur, and Dharashiv.