13 dead after heavy rain in western Indian city of Pune

At least 13 people died in western Indian city of Pune due to rain related incidents, said media reports on Thursday.

Nearly 10,500 people from several water-logged areas were shifted to safer places so far following heavy showers in the district on Wednesday, officials told local broadcaster NDTV.

Five people sleeping in Khed-Shivapur village, located on the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway, were washed away after the heavy downpour, senior police official Sandip Patil said.

Two people from Purandar area were reported missing, according to the report.

Five people, including a nine-year-old boy, were killed in incidents of wall collapse in the flooded Arneshwar area, said the chief fire officer Prashant Ranpise.

According to the daily Indian Express, police and rescue agencies fear of more rain-related casualties, as damage reports are still coming in.

Three teams of National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in the city for rescue and relief work, the daily reported.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed grief over the rain-related deaths in Pune and assured all required help from the government.

"My deepest condolences to the families. We are providing all possible assistance needed. State disaster management officials and control room in continuous touch with Pune collector and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)," he said on Twitter.