Thane district was severely impacted by relentless rainfall on Thursday, leading to extensive flooding and urgent rescue operations in Kalyan, Ambernath, and adjacent areas. Over 400 residents were evacuated from inundated homes and relocated to safer locations as rivers swelled and key infrastructure was compromised.
The district experienced 180 mm of rain within a 24-hour period, concluding at 8:30 am on Thursday, elevating the season’s total precipitation to 1,424 mm. Ulhasnagar saw 136 mm of rainfall, Kalyan 114 mm, Murbad 228 mm, Bhiwandi 110 mm, and Shahapur 80 mm. The Ulhas and Kalu rivers breached their alert thresholds early Thursday. The Ulhas River, coursing through major areas such as Jambhulpada, Badlapur, Ambernath, and Mohane Village, was placed on high alert. Authorities, including officials from Badlapur and Ambernath municipal councils, conducted evacuations of 230 residents living near the river, including 30 children from an Ashram school.
One Jambhulpada resident remarked, “As the water levels began rising overnight, we braced for a repeat of the 2005 floods. Authorities arrived in the morning and helped us evacuate before our homes were submerged.” Similarly, the Kalu River’s overflow necessitated the relocation of 156 residents from Kalyan, Titwala, and surrounding areas to relatives’ homes. The Thane district Public Relations Officer (PRO) indicated that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is working in tandem with local officials to manage the crisis. The PRO of the Thane district collector’s office reported that all necessary measures were taken to ensure the safety of residents and facilitate evacuations. A coordination meeting involving the Chief Minister, district collector, and other officials was held to oversee relief efforts and monitor affected areas.
Significant infrastructure disruptions include the closure of major bridges such as the Rayate bridge on Kalyan Nagar Highway, as well as roads connecting villages from Neral to Badlapur and Kalyan. The Chikhli bridge on the Murbad-Shahapur route and the Ghorla bridge near Murbad are also closed, impacting around 100 residents. The Kalyan-Murbad road was completely shut until Thursday evening. In Mumbra’s Shilphata area, water levels surged to two to three feet, hampering connectivity between Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Pune. Residents across Thane city, including Ghodbunder, Mumbra, and Kalyan, faced significant waterlogging, confining many indoors. The newly inaugurated city park in Kalyan West near Yogi Dham, a ₹70 crore project, sustained damage from the flooding.
Also, the water purification centre at the Mohili plant was shut down after floodwaters from the Ulhas River breached the facility. Areas such as Prabhat Ghat, Titwala, Umbarni, Balyani, Atali, Ambivli, Mohane, Vadvali, and Kalyan West are anticipated to experience water supply interruptions until the purification centre is restored.
