Panaji/Mumbai. All 80 people stranded at Pali waterfall in Sattari taluka of Goa on Sunday after water level suddenly rose due to heavy rains were rescued, officials gave this information. They said that the stranded people were rescued with the help of fire and emergency service personnel.
The officer said that one has to cross a river to reach the waterfall. Since it was Sunday, a large number of people gathered at the waterfall in the morning. Due to the sudden increase in the flow of water in the waterfall in the afternoon amid heavy rains, the people present there got trapped.
Superintendent of Police (North) Akshat Kaushal told PTI-Bhasha in the evening, “All 80 people have been rescued from Pali waterfall. There are no reports of any casualties. The rescue operation was carried out in collaboration with Goa Fire and Emergency Services.”
According to officials, the rescue operation began after the stranded people informed the Valpoi police station and sought help.
In another development, the state education department has declared a holiday in schools on Monday in view of incessant rains.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has declared a ‘red alert’ for the state till Tuesday.
The circular issued by state education director Shailesh Jhingaade said, “In view of the continuous rains and the alert issued by the IMD, Goa Centre regarding heavy to very heavy rainfall and keeping in mind the safety of children, it has been decided to declare a holiday on Monday in all schools of the state.” The circular said, “It is also clarified that the holiday is for students as well as teachers. However, teachers appointed for training will have to attend the training.”
NDRF rescues 49 people stranded in a resort due to rain in Thane
49 people and 16 villagers from Palghar, who were stranded in a resort submerged due to heavy rains in Thane district of Maharashtra, were rescued safely on Sunday. An official of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) gave this information. The official said that an NDRF team used boats and ‘life jackets’ to rescue the people trapped in the resort located in Shahpur area.
District Disaster Management Cell chief Vivekanand Kadam said that a group of villagers working in the fields in Chalispada in Saiwan in Vasai got trapped due to floods in the area after the water level in the nearby Tansa dam increased. He said that in view of the monsoon, NDRF teams have been deployed in Mumbai, Thane and Palghar districts. The officer said that 13 NDRF teams have been deployed in various parts of the state including Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur. Each team has 32 to 35 personnel.