Maharashtra rains kill 13, Red Alert for Lonavala and Matheran
Synopsis
Maharashtra's monsoon turned deadly in under 48 hours — 13 killed, rivers breaching danger marks, and a Red Alert over Lonavala and Matheran. With 625 mm recorded at Lonavala alone and six rivers past their danger thresholds, this is one of the season's most intense multi-district rain events, even as Vidarbha remains bone-dry.
Key Takeaways
13 people killed and 10 injured across Maharashtra in 48 hours of torrential rain ending 7 July .
Lonavala recorded 625 mm of rainfall in 48 hours ; Raigad logged 236 mm in 24 hours .
Six rivers — including Savitri , Amba , and Patalganga — have breached danger marks; flood alerts issued for Badlapur , Mohane , and Jambhulpada .
Red Alert declared for Matheran , Lonavala , Khopoli , and Lohagad due to landslide risk; two NDRF teams deployed.
Around 100 houses damaged; hundreds rendered homeless, according to the SEOC .
Vidarbha — including Wardha , Akola , and Amravati — recorded no rainfall during the same period.
Torrential rains lashed Maharashtra over 48 hours ending 7 July, killing 13 people and injuring 10 others, as the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) confirmed that roughly 100 houses had been damaged and hundreds of residents displaced by severe flooding across the state's coastal and western districts.
Rainfall Intensity Across Regions
Lonavala bore the brunt of the downpour, recording a staggering 625 mm of rain in 48 hours — among the highest single-location totals in the state this season. Raigad logged 236 mm in the last 24 hours, Thane received 161 mm, Ratnagiri clocked 152 mm, Palghar averaged 132 mm, and Mumbai recorded between 100 mm and 161 mm across different sectors of the city.
Rivers in Spate, Flood Alerts Issued
Multiple rivers across the state have overflowed their banks. The Ulhas, Kalu, and Pinjal rivers have crossed their warning levels, while the Amba, Savitri, Kundalika, Patalganga, Jagbudi, and Ulhas rivers have breached their danger marks. Flood alerts have consequently been issued for Badlapur, Mohane, and Jambhulpada.
Key Incidents and Casualties
The deadliest single incident occurred in Mumbai's Mankhurd area, where a building collapsed onto a slum cluster, killing six people and injuring one. A separate tree-fall in the city's suburbs claimed one more life. In Thane, two people were injured when part of a building gave way. One drowning fatality each was reported in Palghar and Sindhudurg, where high-velocity winds also flattened 30 houses. A landslide in Satara killed one person and left four others injured.
In Mawal taluka of Pune district, four residents were trapped after a landslide struck a house in Patan. Near Talegaon-Dabhade, a bus carrying 25 passengers became stranded in floodwaters; all passengers were safely evacuated by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). In Sudhagad taluka, Raigad district, six family members — including a six-month-old infant — were rescued from a rooftop by boat after roads to their village were completely submerged.
Red Alert and NDRF Deployment
A 'Red Alert' has been declared for hill stations including Matheran, Lonavala, Khopoli, and Lohagad, owing to an imminent risk of landslides from continuous heavy rainfall. Two NDRF teams have been deployed to these areas. Landslides also triggered major traffic disruptions: the Mumbai-Goa Highway was blocked at Kashedi Ghat, and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and Khopoli Highway saw suspended movement due to waterlogging and landslips, though traffic was partially restored by the afternoon. The Mawal and Tamhini Ghat stretch was heavily affected, with vehicles diverted to alternative routes.
Vidarbha Still Awaits Monsoon
In a stark contrast to the deluge in western and coastal Maharashtra, the Vidarbha region has received no rainfall during this period. Districts including Wardha, Akola, Amravati, Yavatmal, and Chandrapur remain dry, underlining the uneven monsoon distribution that has characterised the season so far. The situation will continue to be monitored as the monsoon advances.
Point of View
Yet the state's early-warning-to-evacuation pipeline remains sluggish, as the Mankhurd building collapse and the Talegaon bus stranding both illustrate. The simultaneous drought in Vidarbha is the other half of the story that routinely gets buried under flood coverage: Maharashtra's water crisis is not one of abundance or scarcity, but of extreme maldistribution. Until infrastructure investment — drainage, river embankments, real-time flood modelling — matches the scale of these events, the annual death toll will keep resetting at the same grim range.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people have died in the Maharashtra rains so far?
At least 13 people have died and 10 others have been injured across Maharashtra over the 48-hour period ending 7 July, according to the State Emergency Operations Centre. The deadliest single incident was a building collapse in Mumbai's Mankhurd area, which killed six people.
Which areas are under Red Alert in Maharashtra?
A Red Alert has been issued for the hill stations of Matheran, Lonavala, Khopoli, and Lohagad due to an imminent risk of landslides from continuous heavy rainfall. Two NDRF teams have been deployed to these locations.
Which rivers have breached danger levels in Maharashtra?
The Amba, Savitri, Kundalika, Patalganga, Jagbudi, and Ulhas rivers have all crossed their danger marks. The Ulhas, Kalu, and Pinjal rivers have crossed their warning levels, prompting flood alerts for Badlapur, Mohane, and Jambhulpada.
How much rainfall did Lonavala receive?
Lonavala recorded 625 mm of rainfall in 48 hours — the highest reported figure in the state during this rain event. By comparison, Raigad received 236 mm in 24 hours and Mumbai logged between 100 mm and 161 mm across its sectors.
Is the entire state of Maharashtra affected by the rains?
No. While coastal and western Maharashtra have been severely hit, the Vidarbha region — including districts such as Wardha, Akola, Amravati, Yavatmal, and Chandrapur — recorded no rainfall during the same period and is still awaiting its monsoon spell.
