Tuesday, August 1 2006 17:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The flood situation in western Maharashtra has worsened as the Krishna river breached the danger levels and water is being released from the Koyna dam.

Over 20,000 people are marooned in the villages of Shirgaon, Navakher, Bhuleshwar, Wadi, Kanegaon and other areas cut off by floodwaters.

The floods destroyed homes, devastated crops and forced thousands of people to scramble for cover in makeshift shelters.

Twelve people have so far died in flood-ravaged Sangli district and the situation turned for the worse after water was released from the Koyna dam.

Residents along the banks of the rivers Krishna and Ghataprabha have been asked to take precautionary steps and move to safer locations.

State Revenue Minister Narayan Rane is scheduled to visit the affected areas later Tuesday.

In order to avoid flooding in the Krishna basin, the state has been releasing 196,000 cusecs of water from Almatti dam.

According to official sources, 104,000 cusecs of water is being released from the Koyna dam, 40,000 cusecs from Panchganga dam, 16,000 cusecs from the Varana dam and 23,000 cusecs from the Dhoom dam and 22,000 cusecs from the Kaneri dam.

The water level in the Krishna has risen to 51 feet, which is six feet above the danger mark.

Many parts of Kolhapur and Satara remained flooded but conditions in Pune and Nashik have improved significantly.