Several agencies have been put on alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted "very heavy" rainfall across several parts of Maharashtra in the coming days.

In its bulletin on Thursday, the weather department said that "isolated heavy rainfall" will likely be over parts of Central Maharashtra, the Konkan region, and other areas of the state on July 26 and 27.

However, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that all schools and colleges will remain open on Friday.

"The weather and rainfall in Mumbai are normal at present, allowing life in the metropolitan city to proceed smoothly. As a result, all schools and colleges in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) area will remain open on a regular basis tomorrow, Friday, 26th July 2024. Parents are humbly requested not to believe any other information or rumors regarding school and college holidays and to rely only on official information from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The civic administration urges citizens to stay in touch with the management of the concerned schools and colleges for more," the civic body said in a post on X.

Earlier on Thursday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde convened a high-level meeting on Thursday with Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis to review the relief and rescue operations.

After the meeting, the Chief Minister said that teams of NDRF, SDRF units, Army, Navy, police, fire brigade and doctors have been mobilised across the state to speed up the relief operations and to provide help.

"I have spoken to the Army and Navy officials related to Pune. I have asked for deploying helicopters to rescue people trapped in various places due to floods," Shinde said.

"The units of NDRF, SDRF, Army, Navy, Police, Fire Brigade, Health System have been directed to coordinate with each other and lend help," said CM Shinde, adding that these agencies need to work as a team and shift the flood affected people safely, provide them with food packets, arrange medicines and water. Instructions have been given to take the help of NDRF, Army, and Navy," he added.

"Pune, Maval and Mulshi have received heavy rainfall in the dam area, therefore Pune has been affected. There is also heavy rain in Mumbai city and suburbs. The administration is fully alert to deal with any calamity in Mumbai and I am in touch with Pune, Raigad, Mumbai Collectors and Municipal Commissioners," he said.

Source: India Today