Even as the State machinery along with NDRF continued the rescue operations in flood-hit areas of Maharashtra, the government now faces an uphill task of streamlining Covid-19 vaccination in these regions.

Torrential rains in various parts of the State coinciding with high tides and also discharge from dams have led to flooding in various regions.

Mahad and Poladpur in Raigad, Chiplun in Ratnagiri along with various areas in Satara, Kolhapur, and Sangli are worst affected. Parts in Thane and Palghar districts are also flooded.

Vaccination drives were put on hold in many of these districts. State Health Minister Rajesh Tope speaking to reporters in Pune on Friday said that Covid vaccination would be carried out on priority in the flood-affected areas.

He said that the first priority is to rescue all people who are stranded. Tope reiterated that the central government must provide more vaccines to the State to speed up the vaccination drive. He said that Maharashtra’s health infrastructure and manpower is ready to face the challenge. Tope added that the central government is providing 10 lakh vaccine doses in 5-4 days. However, the State needs 10 lakh doses every day.

The State Health Department officials said that the department will focus on vaccination once rescue and relief measure operations in flood-affected areas are completed.

Meanwhile apart from the 17 teams of the NDRF present, eight more teams were requisitioned from Bubaneshwar. Also, support of the other forces including the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force has been sought to speed up rescue operations. About 89,000 people were evacuated while 76 people were found dead according to the government’s report.

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