On Monday morning, rescue teams retrieved the body of one of the two missing toddlers, who, together with three family members, were swept away by a waterfall near Bhushi Dam in Lonavala, Pune. The search for the other missing child continues.
On Sunday, torrential rains triggered a surge of water flow, resulting in the Lonavala waterfall tragedy. On the same day, rescue personnel recovered the body of a 36-year-old lady and two small girls. Mariya Ansari, 9, was found dead on Monday, while Adnan Sabhahat Ansari, 4, is still missing.
#WATCH | Maharashtra | Search and rescue operation underway by a team of Indian Navy divers near Bhushi dam in Lonavala after a woman and four children drowned in a waterfall here yesterday.
Earlier this morning, District Collector Suhas Diwase says, “…We started the rescue… pic.twitter.com/ZOyDBMcoWi
— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2024
A video of the Lonavala waterfall tragedy shows a group of 9-10 individuals, including those who died, stranded in the middle of a stream with floodwaters rushing down. Despite calls for aid and attempts to clutch onto one other, they were swept away as the water flowed faster.
VIDEO | Visuals of five persons who drowned in a waterfall close to the backwater of Bhushi Dam in Pune`s Lonavala area earlier today.
Officials said that the incident happened at 12:30pm when a family was out for a picnic at the scenic spot. They said the bodies of Shahista… pic.twitter.com/qOmk0qQHPa
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 30, 2024
On Sunday, the bodies of three family members who died in the Lonavala waterfall were discovered: Shahista Liaqat Ansari (36), Amima Adil Ansari (13), and Umera Adil Ansari (8).
According to police, 16-17 members of the Ansari family from Sayyad Nagar in Pune`s Hadapsar neighbourhood rented a private bus for a picnic at the scenic site near Lonavala. The family, who had flown from Mumbai for a wedding, was taken off guard by the abrupt increase in water flow.
Lonavala waterfall tragedy: Estimated 50,000 persons visited the hill station on Sunday
During the monsoon season, thousands of visitors travel to the Bhushi and Pavana dam areas, frequently ignoring police and local authorities` cautions to avoid new places. A police officer estimated that about 50,000 people visited Lonavala on Sunday.
Another PTI report quoted Senior Police Inspector Kishor Dhumal saying that it is crucial to take preventive measures such as increasing police presence, installing metal fencing, marking danger zones with visible signs and deploying more lifeguards to avoid untoward incidents.
“Anticipating the influx of tourists during the monsoon, we convened meetings with police Patils from over 20 villages around the dam. We instruct them to prevent tourists from entering the water bodies. We also direct camping sites and resorts to restrain their guests from approaching the water,” Dhumal told PTI.
Dhumal told PTI that drownings occur because victims fail to access the water`s depth and added, “The responsibility for safety measures lies with the irrigation department. We have suggested several measures, including installing metal fencing around the waterfront, deploying more lifeguards, and providing a patrol boat equipped with rescue teams.”
