Kolhapur: With the level of Panchaganga river steadily increasing and concerns of a potential flood, the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation's (KMC) town planning department has issued relocation notices to 81 families residing in a makeshift settlement near the Tawde Hotel area.Besides the town planning department, officials from fire department and divisional office No. 4 visited the area to inform the residents about the impending situation. Deputy city town planning engineer N S Patil, chief fire officer Manish Ranbhise, and junior engineer Mira Nagime were among those present during the awareness campaign.So far, around 30 families have already relocated in response to the KMC's directive.

The remaining families have assured the authorities that they will move to safer ground within the next two days.Patil, while talking to TOI, said, "No one should encroach upon or start temporary residence without permission in areas that are likely to be affected by flood waters. The municipal corporation has issued notices and asked the residents to immediately shift to a safer place."Though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a yellow alert for Kolhapur on Thursday, the intensity of rainfall dropped in the city and several parts of the district.

Only a few on-and-off light spells of rainfall were received in isolated areas with partly cloudy weather conditions. By Thursday evening, nine barrages from the district continued to stay inundated under the swollen river waters, affecting the movement of vehicular traffic. However, level of Panchaganga river dropped from 20.3 feet on Wednesday evening to 17.2 feet at 8pm on Thursday.