At least 17 people were killed in separate rain-related incidents in Pune district of Maharashtra on Wednesday, PTI reported. Schools and colleges in various tehsils declared a holiday on Thursday.

Officials said nearly 16,000 people, including those stuck on rooftops and trees, were rescued from Pune city and other parts of the district. They added that four people were reportedly missing.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday condoled the deaths. “Pained to know about the loss of lives in and around Pune due to heavy rains,” he tweeted. “My deepest condolences to the families. We are providing all possible assistance needed. State disaster management officials and control room in continuous touch with Pune collector and PMC.”

Fadnavis said that two teams each of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in Pune and Baramati. Another team is on its way to Baramati, he added.

More than 15,000 people were shifted from low-lying areas in Baramati to safer places after water was released from Nazare dam, said Superintendent of Police Sandip Patil. Over 500 others stranded in other areas of the city were also rescued.

Five people sleeping at a dargah in Khed-Shivapur village were washed away, said Patil.

Besides this, 12 others were killed in separate rain-related incidents as incessant showers battered the city on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

Of these, a nine-year-old boy was killed when a wall collapsed in Aranyeshwar area of Pune on Wednesday night, Chief Fire Officer Prashant Ranpise said.

“Rain stopped on Thursday morning, but many houses and residential societies in low-lying areas were still inundated,” another fire brigade official said according to PTI. Waterlogging was reported in Sinhgad Road, Dhanakwadi, Balajinagar, Ambegaon, Sahakar Nagar, Parvati, Kolhewadi and Kirkatwadi, Ranpise said.

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