Thousands of LPG cylinders swept into river in Raigad after heavy rain

The incident occurred after torrential monsoon rains caused floodwaters to breach the plant's protective boundary wall, allowing water to rush into the facility and carry away the cylinders.

The Raigad administration has warned people not to touch or collect cylinders washed away from an HPCL bottling plant, as heavy rain continues across Maharashtra

Heavy rainfall in Maharashtra's Raigad district has led to an unusual and potentially dangerous situation after nearly 3,000 LPG cylinders were swept away by floodwaters from the HPCL Patalganga LPG Bottling Plant. The incident occurred after a protective boundary wall at the facility gave way under the pressure of incessant rain, allowing floodwaters to rush into the premises.The cylinders were carried away by the swollen Patalganga River and into the adjoining Kharpada Creek, prompting district authorities to issue an urgent public advisory.Viral videos show cylinders floating down riverSeveral videos circulating on social media captured hundreds of LPG cylinders drifting downstream in fast-moving floodwaters. The unusual sight drew large crowds to a nearby bridge, where people gathered to watch the cylinders float past."रसोई गैस के सिलेंडर बह रहे हैं.. लूटने की होड़ मची है.. सिलेंडर के लिए लोग अपनी जान से खेलने को तैयार हैं..वीडियो महाराष्ट्र के रायगढ़ का है.. भीषण बारिश से पातालगंगा नदी में बाढ़ आई है.. पानी एलपीजी के बॉटलिंग प्लांट में घुस गया.. पूरा प्लांट डूब गया.. सिलेंडर पानी में बह… pic.twitter.com/4rfXVI0wCZ— Vivek K. Tripathi (@meevkt) July 9, 2026 Some viral clips also appeared to show individuals entering flooded areas and attempting to retrieve cylinders before taking them home, despite repeated warnings from authorities about the potential danger. Some videos show locals risking their lives and looting the washed-up cylinders.'Officials warn against touching or using recovered cylindersThe Raigad district administration has cautioned residents that some of the washed-away cylinders may still contain liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), making them hazardous to handle.Officials have strongly advised the public not to collect, open, transport or use any cylinder found in rivers, creeks or on riverbanks. Floodwaters can damage cylinder valves and safety mechanisms, increasing the risk of gas leaks if they are handled improperly."There is no certainty whether the cylinders contain LPG or whether they remain safe to handle. Picking them up, opening them or taking them home could pose a serious risk," the collector warned.Maharashtra: Nearly 3,000 filled and empty LPG cylinders were swept away into the Patalganga River after severe flooding triggered by heavy rainfall inundated HPCL’s bottling plant in Raigad district. Following the incident, Raigad Collector Kishan Jawale issued a public alert,… pic.twitter.com/ddyZOpSnfZ— Vani Mehrotra (@vani_mehrotra) July 9, 2026 Collector appeals for public cooperationRaigad Collector Kishan Javle urged residents to immediately inform authorities if they spot any of the missing cylinders instead of attempting to recover them on their own.He also requested that anyone who has already recovered a cylinder should safely surrender it at an authorised collection centre.Recovered cylinders can be deposited at:-The HPCL Patalganga LPG Bottling Plant-Any nearby HPCL LPG distributor-The Khalapur Tehsildar's Office-The local Tehsildar's Office-The office of the Sub-Divisional OfficerAuthorities have reiterated that cylinders should not be stored inside homes until they have been inspected by trained personnel.Raigad remains one of the worst-hit districts in Maharashtra during the ongoing spell of heavy monsoon rainfall. Continuous downpours over the past several days have caused rivers to overflow, triggered flooding in low-lying areas and disrupted normal life across the district.

Floodwaters swept approximately three thousand LPG cylinders from a plant in Maharashtra's Raigad district. Many locals were observed entering the swollen Patalganga River to retrieve the floating cylinders. The district administration strongly advised against such dangerous retrieval attempts by the public. Residents were instructed to hand over any found cylinders to HPCL or local authorities. Officials are currently working to trace and recover the missing gas cylinders from the river.

Heavy rain caused flooding in Raigad's Rasayani industrial area on Wednesday. Around three thousand LPG cylinders were swept into the Patalganga river. Authorities have retrieved approximately one thousand of these lost cylinders. The district administration requested residents to return any found cylinders. Sudden flooding was identified as the cause of this incident.