Over 900 people were evacuated safely from houses that were inundated with water from Irai dam in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district on Thursday, an official said. Disaster management personnel conducted rescue operations at Ballarpur, Arwat, Korpana among other places in the district, he said.

The water level has increased in all reservoirs, including Irai dam, due to incessant rainfall in the district since last week. Officials have opened seven gates of the dam by a metre, the official said. The discharge of water from Irai dam caused flooding in Rehmat Nagar, Datala, Haveli Complex, Sister Colony, Bangarwada, and low-lying areas of the city under the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation, he said. At least 994 people were moved to safety from inundated houses in these areas, he said. The civic authorities have shifted people to schools in the city and food, water and mobile toilets have been made available, the official said.

The district disaster management team rescued 22 truck drivers who got stuck near Bohegaon in Korpana tehsil in the district. Bohegaon bridge on Wardha river got flooded and the road was cut off for motorists. However, some truck drivers got stuck near the bridge, an official said. The team reached the spot in boats on Wednesday night and rescued the stranded drivers, he said.

Meanwhile, a man walked 3 km in flood waters with his ailing son on his shoulders in Gondpipri tehsil of the district, tehsildar K D Meshram said. Shyamrao Ginghare, a resident of Podse village located on the banks of Wardha river, walked in the flood water with his four-year-old son Karthik on his shoulders. “Due to incessant rainfall and back flow from Wardha river, the road was blocked to the villages. Fortunately, the water level was below risk when Shyamrao took his son to Wedgaon village to consult a doctor,” he said.

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