Marathawada records over 100 per cent of its normal rainfall, crops in over 12 lakh hectares affected

Close scrutiny of the rainfall data in Marathwada shows all the districts have reported excess rainfall.

Written by Parthsarathi Biswas

Pune | Updated: September 24, 2025 09:34 AM IST

2 min read

Solapur: Floodwaters from the overflowing Sina River spread across the Solapur-Pune railway line area in Mohol taluka, inundating villages and agricultural lands, disrupting railway connectivity, and forcing evacuations, in Solapur, Maharashtra, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (PTI09_23_2025_000290A)

Floodwaters from the overflowing Sina River spread across the Solapur-Pune railway line area in Mohol taluka, inundating villages and agricultural lands, disrupting railway connectivity, and forcing evacuations, in Solapur, Maharashtra, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (PTI Photo)

In the last leg of the monsoon, Maharashtra is faced with floods as incessant rains continue to batter the state. Marathwada has emerged as the most-affected.

On Tuesday, the cumulative rainfall reported in the state was 996.7 mm as compared to the normal of 962.3 mm. Spatial distribution of the rainfall regionwise has not been even. While Konkan division has received 90 per cent of its normal rainfall, Pune division has received 82.8 per cent of its rainfall from June 1. Marathwada, which consists of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dharashiv, Beed, Latur, Jalna,Parbhani, Hingoli and Nanded districts, has reported the highest excess rainfall in the state. The region, which has traditionally been identified with drought and scanty rainfall, has received 129 per cent of its normal rainfall — 826.9 mm as against the normal of 640.8 mm. The other areas of Maharashtra have received more or less slight excess rainfall.

Close scrutiny of the rainfall data in Marathwada shows all the districts have reported excess rainfall. Dharashiv has received the most rainfall in the region at 835.6 mm as compared to 560 mm normal rainfall, an excess of 147 per cent. Jalna (757.6 mm / 570 mm), Nanded (1013.5 mm /775.3 mm), Hingoli (978.7 mm / 759.7 mm), Beed (776.8 mm / 526 mm), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (696.5 mm / 546.6 mm), Latur (782.8 mm / 663.8 mm) and Parbhani (802.4 mm / 721.9 mm) have all reported more than normal rainfall.

Given the increased rainfall, all the major rivers in Marathwada have seen discharge from their dams. Jaikawadi, the main dam over the Godavari River in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, has seen continuous discharge, which has caused flooding in the command area. Similarly dams in Dharashiv have also seen discharge which has caused massive flooding in the district. Floodings have been reported from other areas in the region, which has put the authorities on high alert.

Opposition parties including state Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal have called for declaration of “wet drought” in the region. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured of immediate help once the panchnama is done. In the last few days, over 12.34 lakh hectares of farm land has been affected due to the rains. In many areas the almost harvest soyabean has been inundated.

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