VALPOI
Torrential rain that began on Thursday night and continued through Friday disrupted normal life across Sattari Taluka, inundating roads, flooding agricultural fields and causing rivers to swell after an eight-day dry spell.
The famous Shri Dattatreya Temple at Pali was surrounded by floodwaters after the Velus River overflowed, while the Guleli–Murmune road remained submerged for several hours, disrupting traffic and affecting residents and school students.
Heavy rainfall over the Western Ghats caused a sharp rise in the Velus, Ragada, Valvanti and Mhadei rivers. Although no loss of life was reported, several incidents of fallen trees, waterlogging and flooding of farmland were recorded. Farmers, already affected by the recent dry spell, are once again facing uncertainty as agricultural activities have come to a halt.
Rain began on Thursday afternoon, intensified overnight and continued through Friday morning, with nearly four inches of rainfall recorded across the taluka in the last 24 hours. The showers significantly boosted inflows into the Anjunem Dam, raising storage to 26 per cent, an increase of nearly 14 percentage points since the rains resumed.
At Pali, floodwaters reached the steps of the Shri Dattatreya Temple, submerged the approach road and entered a nearby shed, preventing devotees from accessing the shrine. Local residents rushed to the spot and took precautionary measures to stop water from entering the temple. The river receded after two to three hours, bringing the situation under control. Residents said similar flooding occurs almost every monsoon, highlighting the temple's continued vulnerability.
The Guleli–Murmune road was submerged after the Ragada River overflowed, forcing authorities to suspend traffic temporarily. Residents of Guleli, Shel, Melavali, Dhada and Paikul, along with students of the Government Secondary School at Guleli, were affected until floodwaters receded. Locals said the road is inundated every monsoon and renewed demands for a permanent solution, despite retaining walls constructed at some locations.
Flooding also affected paddy fields, vegetable crops, cashew, arecanut and mango plantations, with preliminary reports indicating crop damage. Farmers fear the heavy rain could damage newly planted crops and delay cultivation.
The district administration remained on alert. Sattari Sub-Divisional Officer Laxmikant Kurtikar, Mamlatdar Dhirendra Banawalikar and Joint Mamlatdar Vishnu Rane monitored the situation in coordination with the Water Resources Department. An Emergency Control Room has been activated at the Valpoi Mamlatdar Office, while residents living near riverbanks have been advised to remain vigilant, avoid crossing submerged roads and follow official instructions as more rain is expected over the coming days.
