Flooded Kalyan gets help from fire brigade

Municipality’s new inflatable rafts come in handy for rescue, relief work.

Personnel from the Kalyan fire brigade department are helping locals get their daily ration and other sundry items in areas that are water-logged for nearly six feet due to heavy rains since Sunday. More than 2,000 families staying in Anupam Nagar, Gholap Nagar, Yogi Dham, Waldhuni, Govind Wadi and Duddh Naka are using the inflatable rafts sent by the Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) fire brigade department to travel to safer ground.

“We had nearly 22 feet of water in our locality during the 26/7 deluge. This year, the water level is much less and the rescue operations were started immediately. This helped people evacuate in time,” said Sachin Patil, a resident of Anupam Nagar.

The KDMC had purchased seven inflatable rafts and other life-saving equipment after 26/7. “Last year it had become difficult for rescuers to bring food and water to our locality, but this year the rafts have helped in getting things for our family,” said Gopal Ravani, a resident of Amrut Dham.

“My father is 65 years old and when he came back home today morning, firemen brought him in the raft till our building and then carried him till the staircase,” said Rahul Divakar, another resident.

A fire brigade department official said, “Last year we did not have the required equipment to help flood-affected families, but this year we are able to tackle it better.”

Two localities — Duddh Naka and Govind Wadi — near the Kalyan creek, which have dairy farms, are also prone to flooding.