September 2025, heavy rains brought widespread devastation across Maharashtra. The state recorded nearly double its usual rainfall, leading to overflow of rivers such as Sina, Bhima, Man, Terna, and Manjara. This caused significant flooding in several districts, including Solapur and Dharashiv (Osmanabad). What began as continuous rain soon turned into one of the worst floods in recent years-destroying crops, homes, and infrastructure, and leaving thousands struggling to survive.
The Impact of flood on Solapur and Dharashiv
Solapur district, which is usually drought-prone, witnessed rainfall far beyond its capacity. Rivers overflowed, and floodwaters swept through villages, damaging more than one lakh hectares of crops and disrupting communication lines and road networks. Thousands of people were rescued and shifted to relief camps as water levels continued to rise.
In Dharashiv district, the situation was equally alarming. The Paranda and Bhum blocks, along with several low-lying areas, faced severe flooding. More than 2.26 lakh hectares of crops were destroyed, affecting around two lakh farmers. The district also reported over 750 damaged houses, loss of livestock, and large-scale soil erosion, which will likely impact farming for many upcoming seasons. The disaster not only washed away property but also left a deep economic and emotional scar on rural families.
Need Assessment of both the Districts
In response to the crisis, Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA) mobilized its teams to conduct a flood need assessment in South Solapur and Dharashiv districts. The objective was to understand the scale of damage and identify immediate and long-term needs of the affected families.
The team visited 16 severely affected villages – ten (Wangi , Managoli , Shirapur , Samshapur , Akole , Shingoli , Wadakbal , Pathari , Nandur , Hatnur) in Solapur and six (Karanja, Devgaonkh , Kapilapuri , Awarpimpri , Vadner , Dhagprimpri) in Dharashiv and conducted direct discussions with villagers, local leaders, and Gram Panchayat representatives. The assessment revealed the extent of damage to homes, water sources, schools, and livelihoods. Drawing from the findings of the ground assessment, CYDA developed a comprehensive plan that includes immediate relief interventions as well as long-term rehabilitation efforts.
Solapur District:
Relief Kit Distribution
As part of the relief response, CYDA, in collaboration with the Astitva Sanstha, CSR partners like Microsoft and Coupa distributed 196 relief kits in the villages of Samshapur, Akole, Vangi, and Mangoli. These kits reached nearly 2,750 people and contained essential supplies such as ready-to-eat food, drinking water, and basic medicines. The distribution was planned in a way that families could access immediate support without delay, especially those who had lost access to cooking arrangements or clean drinking water.
Blankets and Mats Support
In addition to food and medicines, efforts were also made to address the need for warmth and temporary shelter. A total of 133 kits, consisting of blankets and mats, were distributed, benefiting approximately 1,000 people. These items proved extremely useful for families who were staying in temporary or damaged houses and required protection against the cold and discomfort.
Medical Camps and Health Support
Recognizing that health was a significant concern, medical camps were organized in Samshapur, Wangi, and Mangoli villages. Around 147 people attended these camps, where health check-ups and treatment were provided to those in need. To strengthen the local healthcare system, medicines were also supplied to the Kamthi Primary Health Centre in Singoli village so that ongoing medical needs could be met even after the relief camps were concluded.
Dharashiv District
Relief Kit Distribution
CYDA, in collaboration with CSR partner Persistent Foundation, extended support to the affected families in Devgaon and Karanja villages of Dharashiv district. The focus was to ensure that the immediate food and educational needs of the community were met without delay.
A total of 330 ready-to-eat food kits were distributed -170 kits in Devgaon and 160 kits in Karanja. These kits reached 1,726 people who had lost access to cooking arrangements due to the floods. Each kit contained essential food items, drinking water, and basic necessities to help families sustain themselves during the initial recovery phase. The distribution was organized in coordination with local community leaders to ensure that the most affected and vulnerable families received timely assistance.
Educational Kits Support
Recognizing the impact of the floods on children’s education, CYDA also distributed educational kits to students whose learning materials were damaged. These kits were provided to 103 students from Z.P. School, Devgaon, 26 students from Z.P. School, Kokan Wasti, and 50 students from Z.P. School, Karanja. The educational support will enable children to continue their studies without interruption, restoring a sense of normalcy to their lives.
CYDA’s Long-Term Rehabilitation Plan
CYDA plans to extend its long-term rehabilitation support to the people of Solapur and Dharashiv in the following sectors:
- WASH: Water purification units and hygiene promotion.
- Shelter: Repair and rebuilding of damaged houses.
- Livelihood: Agricultural, livestock, and entrepreneurship support.
- Education: Repair of schools and anganwadis.
How You Can Help
If you would like to support the ongoing relief efforts, please reach out to us:
Organization: Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA)
Contact Person: Mr Ameer Nadaf, 9632098429
Email: [email protected]
