KOLHAPUR, Aug 7: Five persons were washed away in flood-waters today even as several low-lying areas continued to be inundated following torrential rains in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. The District Collector Manukumar Shristava told reporters here this evening that in worst-affected Haldi village, 39 persons were shifted to safer places. In Chikhali village, safer sites were given to people endangered by flood waters.

Life has been paralysed in the district for the last four days due to heavy rains. A red alert was sounded in Rajaram Bandhara as the water level of the Panchagana river crossed the danger mark..

Police said the bodies had been recovered and identified.

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