Mumbai, July 9: Around 3,000 LPG cylinders were swept away by floodwaters after a protective wall at the HPCL Patalganga LPG Bottling Plant in Maharashtra’s Raigad district collapsed following heavy rainfall.

Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of gas cylinders floating in the swollen Patalganga River, drawing large crowds of onlookers who recorded the unusual sight from a nearby bridge.

According to officials, relentless rainfall caused the plant’s protective boundary wall to give way, allowing floodwaters to enter the facility. The powerful current carried away thousands of LPG cylinders, which were washed into the Patalganga River and Kharpada Creek.

The district administration said some of the cylinders may still contain LPG, prompting authorities to issue a public safety advisory. Amazed citizens were seen recording visuals of the floating cylinders from a bridge.

Raigad Collector Kishan Javle urged residents not to touch, collect, or attempt to use any cylinders found floating in the river or washed ashore. He appealed to citizens to immediately inform the authorities or hand over the cylinders to designated collection points.

Residents can deposit the recovered cylinders directly at the HPCL plant, any nearby HPCL dealer, the Tehsildar Office in Khalapur, the Tehsildar Office in the concerned area, or the office of the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO).

The administration has advised people against storing the cylinders in their homes or handling them without proper safety measures.

“There is no guarantee whether the cylinders washed into the river contain gas or whether they are in a safe condition. Picking them up, opening them, or taking them home out of curiosity or for use could be extremely dangerous,” the collector said.

Heavy rainfall has continued to batter several parts of Maharashtra over the past week, triggering floods, waterlogging, and overflowing rivers. Raigad remains among the worst-hit districts, with widespread flooding affecting normal life and prompting authorities to remain on high alert.

Washington, July 9: Vice President J.D. Vance has accused Iran of violating a recent understanding with the United States by resuming attacks on commercial shipping, warning that any further attempts to disrupt maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would trigger a stronger US military response.

Speaking in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday (local time), Vance said the Trump administration had reached an agreement with Tehran after recent hostilities, but alleged that Iran had failed to uphold its side of the arrangement.

“We made a deal with the Iranians,” Vance said, adding that the agreement came after the United States had negotiated “from maximum leverage and maximum strength.”

He credited President Donald Trump and the US military with weakening Iran’s capabilities before diplomacy resumed.

“Thanks to the incredible efforts of our amazing US military, …the President of the United States, just amazing people. But most of all, thanks to the troops, we came into the situation with maximum leverage and maximum strength. Their nuclear programme was destroyed, their conventional military was destroyed, and you’ve got some people within the Iranian system who are saying, ‘You know what? We want to change our relationship with the United States. We want to turn over a new leaf,'” Vance said.

According to Vance, the understanding between Washington and Tehran centred on freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping lanes.

“The basic deal that we cut was we’ll lift our blockade if you stop shooting at ships. But if you shoot at ships, we are going to punch back, and we’re going to punch back harder than ever before,” he said.

Vance claimed Iran initially complied with the arrangement.

“They said they would stop shooting at ships, and what happened 24 hours ago? They started shooting at ships again. They were good, they were well behaved for about a week, but then they started shooting at ships,” he said.

He warned that Washington would continue to respond militarily if attacks persisted.

“So the deal is very simple. If they shoot at ships, we’re going to knock the hell out of them, and it’s that simple. That’s the basic way it’s going to work,” Vance said, adding that President Trump “maintains a lot of options” but declining to discuss possible military action.

Vance said ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains open was a strategic priority because of its importance to global energy supplies.

“The President has said to them very simply, the Strait of Hormuz is going to be open. That means oil and gas is going to flow to the American people. That’s why we see gas prices starting to come down. That’s why we see the oil prices so low, is because the President said that crucial artery through which we ship a lot of the world’s energy, that artery has got to remain open,” he said.

“If they try to close it down, there’s going to be a response from the American military. It’s that simple. They can either follow it, or they can have exactly what happened to them last night. It’s just going to keep on happening until they open up that lane and stop shooting at ships,” Vance added.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has passed an amendment aimed at strengthening the legal framework governing dance bars across the state. The move seeks to address regulatory gaps that authorities believe have been used by some establishments to operate under different categories of entertainment licences instead of obtaining licences specifically meant for dance bars.

According to the government, the amendment is intended to ensure that all establishments offering dance performances or similar entertainment activities are regulated under a single legal framework. The revised provisions are expected to enhance transparency in the licensing process and improve enforcement by the concerned authorities.

The government stated that the amendment is designed to prevent misuse of orchestra or live performance permissions for activities that fall within the scope of the dance bar law. Officials said the changes will help create uniform standards for licensing, monitoring and compliance across hotels, restaurants and bar rooms where such performances are conducted.

During the Assembly proceedings, the government maintained that the legislation aims to uphold the law while safeguarding public order and ensuring that entertainment venues function within the prescribed legal framework. It also emphasized that the amendment seeks to protect the dignity and rights of women working in the sector while discouraging illegal practices.

The amended legislation will come into effect after completing the required legislative and legal formalities. The state government is expected to issue detailed implementation guidelines for licensing authorities and enforcement agencies in the coming weeks.