Torrential rains wreak havoc in Maharashtra, causing extensive damage to more than 540,000 hectares of crops and claiming the lives of 8 individuals.

The state of Maharashtra in India has been hit by a twin crisis, with torrential rains causing widespread devastation and a political storm brewing over a land scam allegation.

The floods, which began on August 14, have taken a heavy toll on local residents, with at least 251 casualties reported. Relief efforts have been swift, with government and emergency services working tirelessly to manage rescue and rehabilitation. Over 1,000 residents, including 350 in Mumbai, have been evacuated to safer locations. The Mithi River's water level has risen to 3.9 meters, causing flooding in Krantinagar, and the BMC has evacuated 350 residents and provided food and shelter due to the flooding.

The Indian Army has been deployed for rescue and relief operations in Nanded district, where 2,59,789 hectares of crops have been damaged, and four deaths occurred due to flooding. The Army is leading relief operations in the inundated Hasnaal village of Nanded. In total, 5,49,785 hectares of crops have been damaged across Maharashtra.

While the floods have dominated the headlines, a political scandal has also been making waves. Rohit Pawar, a political leader, has made allegations about a Maharashtra minister's involvement in a Rs 5,000 crore land scam. However, this issue was not discussed in the cabinet meeting chaired by Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, which focused instead on reviewing crop damage across the state.

In a separate development, Eknath Shinde, another political leader, visited ground-zero locations in Mumbai during the meeting, while Ajit Pawar reviewed the evolving situation from the State Disaster Management Cell in Mantralaya. Mr. Pawar has also appealed to all ministers, public representatives, and party workers to actively help citizens in affected areas.

Red and orange alerts have been issued across the state, according to Mr. Pawar, and a red alert has been issued for several districts in Maharashtra for the next 12 hours. The floods have caused significant damage to major kharif crops such as black gram (udid), green gram (moong), soybean, maize (makka), pearl millet (bajra), cotton, and pigeon pea (toor) between August 14 and 17.

One death each occurred in Mumbai, Raigad, and Sindhudurg districts, while four deaths occurred in Nanded due to flooding. The people of Maharashtra are hoping for a swift resolution to both the flood crisis and the political scandal, and for a return to normalcy as soon as possible.