Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said people residing in hilly and landslide-prone areas of the rain-ravaged Konkan region are being evacuated and expressed grief over the loss of lives in a landslide in Raigad district. He appealed to people to cooperate with the local administration in the evacuation process in vulnerable areas in the coastal region, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

The chief minister visited the disaster management authority control room in Mantralaya (state secretariat) in south Mumbai and took stock of the situation arising out of downpour and flooding in Konkan and western Maharashtra. He said the local administration should work in coordination for smooth relief and rescue operations in the rain-devastated areas.

The chief minister asked the authorities to ensure distribution of food, water, medicines and clothes to the people displaced by floods and heavy rains, the statement said. He said the flood-affected districts of western Maharashtra top the list of coronavirus cases and rescue operations there should be done by adhering to COVID-19 protocols, especially use of face masks.

Thirty people have died in a landslide near a village in coastal Raigad district of Maharashtra, police said on Friday. Heavy rains since the last two days have caused massive floods in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Palghar, Thane, Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts.

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