Pune: Heavy Pre-Monsoon Showers Submerge Roads, Disrupt Flights
Heavy rain accompanied by winds and thunderstorm lashed in Pune on Tuesday.
Heavy pre-monsoon showers on Tuesday afternoon left roads in the Dhanori, Vishrantwadi, Padmavati, and Dhankawdi areas submerged for over five hours. The intense rainfall led to flash floods, inundation of low-lying areas, poor visibility, and slippery roads.
City fire brigade chief Devendra Potphode explained to TOI, “A natural nullah in the Dhanori area was choked at a particular point. Resultantly, water flowed onto the roads, which remained submerged for over five hours.” The fire brigade responded by installing pumps and opening chambers along the affected roads to drain the rainwater. The department received 38 calls of tree falling incidents, primarily from Dhanori, Vishrantwadi, and Yerawada areas.
Flights arriving and departing between 4 PM and later were delayed due to various reasons, including the heavy rains that lashed several parts of the city on Tuesday afternoon. The new Airport Road was notably waterlogged.
Heavy rains significantly impacted Pune, with Wadgaonsheri recording 114.5 mm of rain. Other areas also experienced substantial rainfall, leading to flash floods and waterlogging. Rainfall measurements across Pune until 7 PM were as follows:
- Magarpatta: 23.0 mm
- Koregaon Park: 22.5 mm
- NDA: 4.5 mm
- Wadgaonsheri: 114.5 mm
Dr. Anupam Kashyapi, former head of the IMD Pune’s weather forecasting department, commented on the record rainfall in Wadgaonsheri, describing it as “a very intense to extremely intense spell of rain, very close to a cloudburst but not a cloudburst in the true sense.” He advised residents to exercise caution and stay updated with weather forecasts over the coming days.
Heavy waterlogging was also reported in Dhanori, Padmavati, Pune-Satara Road, and Kalyani Nagar. A Jaguar car was trapped in deep water in the underpass connecting Kalyani Nagar and Viman Nagar, highlighting the severe impact of the rainfall. This extreme weather event has exposed the inadequate drainage infrastructure, as there were no sufficient pathways for water to percolate or flow towards the stormwater lines.
