Lonavala: Bhushi Dam, the main tourist attraction, overflowed on Sunday afternoon due to heavy rainfall occurring in the Lonavala and Khandala area.
The has been continuously raining in the Lonavala and Khandala region for the last 24 hours. A total of 110 mm of rainfall has been recorded by authorities.
The Lonavla area is situated between Mumbai and Pune and is a popular destination for monsoon tourism. Millions of tourists come here every year to enjoy nature and the rainy season. This year, all the tourist spots including dams, forts in the Lonavala area have been closed for the tourists due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Unlike the heavy rains in Mumbai, Lonavala has witnessed water-logging as it is surrounded by a densely forested area. However, the water flowing from these mountainous areas cause tourists to visit, as waterfalls in Lonavala are a popular attraction.
On Sunday the local youths who stay near the dam area informed that the dam was overflowing. It has been raining heavily in Lonavala for a long time since this afternoon. The police administration has set up check-posts in the dam area, the Lions Point area and also other tourist points since Sunday morning to prevent tourists.
The city of Lonavala has recorded up to 649 mm of rainfall this year. It has been observed that hilly areas of Bhushi Dam and Lions Point have received more rainfall than the city this year. Although water has begun flowing down the drains of the dam, the steps of the dam feel empty due to lack of tourist crowd at the location.
