Heavy rain and release of water from the Gangapur dam into the Godavari river caused a flood-like situation in some areas of Maharashtra’s Nashik district on Sunday.

Collector Suraj Mandhare declared a holiday for schools and colleges in the district on Monday, officials said.

More than 20,000 cusecs (cubic foot per second) of water was released from the Gangapur dam on Sunday morning, which led to the Godavari river flowing above the danger mark, an official at the district collectorate said.

This also caused water-logging around some temples located on the banks of the river, he said, adding that the water reached up to the neck of the Dutondya Maruti, a statue of Lord Hanuman on the river bed, and was just a few feet below the Ram Setu bridge.

At 8am, around 26,150 cusecs of water was released from the Darna dam into the river following heavy showers, the official added.

Heavy rain continued to lash the city and tribal-dominated tehsils of Igatpuri, Trimbakeshwar, Peint, Surgana, Nashik and Dindori on Sunday, he said.

In the 24 hours that ended at 8am on Sunday, the Trimbakeshwar tehsil received 315 millimetres of rain, followed by Igatpuri-220mm, Peint-200mm, Surgana-180mm, Nashik-84mm, Dindori-68mm, Niphad-25.3mm and Kalwan-27mm, according to data provided by the collector’s office.

Around 60 people from Saykheda village were shifted to a safer place, as the Godavari river was in spate in the area, a district administration official said.

A house collapsed in the city’s Goreram area in the afternoon but there was no report of casualties, he said.

Traffic on the Mumbai-Nashik, Nashik-Peint and Nashik-Javhar roads was affected because of the rain, while a large number of people had to camp at Nashik railway station because of the disruption of trains, an official said.

A landslide in the Kasara Ghat region led to the suspension of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus services between Mumbai and Nashik, he added.

Mumbai, Pune hit

Heavy rain in Mumbai and adjoining regions crippled normal life for the second consecutive day on Sunday, throwing train services off the tracks, disrupting air traffic and causing power outages in neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts.

At least four people died in rain-related incidents in Mumbai, Pune and Palghar districts.

In Pune, officials issued an advisory asking people “not to venture out of their houses unless absolutely necessary” and ordered schools and colleges to be shut on Monday.