Khopoli flash flood: Villagers deploy ropes to rescue over 100 stranded tourists at Zenith Waterfall - WATCH

Over 100 tourists were stranded near Zenith Waterfall in Khopoli, Maharashtra, after torrential rains on Saturday (July 4) triggered a flash flood. The sudden and dramatic rise in water levels caught visitors off guard while they were enjoying the falls. As the situation grew dangerous, local villagers from Vihari Thakurwadi responded swiftly. With ropes, they initiated rescuing stranded tourists out of the raging waters and averting a tragedy. Recognising the danger, residents of Vihari Thakurwadi rushed to the scene with ropes before emergency teams arrived. Collaborating with the Khopoli Fire Brigade and local police, the villagers executed a challenging rescue operation. Despite the fast-flowing water, rescuers used ropes to safely evacuate every stranded tourist one by one, preventing a major tragedy. The rescue operation lasted nearly three hours. The tourists expressed deep gratitude to the locals and emergency responders for their swift, life-saving intervention.

In contrast, two tragic incidents at Kharghar's popular Pandavkada Waterfall have renewed concerns regarding monsoon tourism safety. Visiting this waterfall is strictly banned during the rainy season; however, two young men were swept away by powerful currents within a 24-hour window.

Watch rescue operation here:

On Friday (July 3) evening around 7:30 pm, 20-year-old Mohammad Mubashir Mohammad Shahid, a resident of Taloja, was swept away. On Saturday (July 4) morning at approximately 8:30 am, while the initial search was already underway, 19-year-old Shennon Gasper Kini from Santacruz was also carried away by the strong flow.

Fire brigade teams immediately initiated search operations after both incidents. Despite overnight efforts and extensive searches continuing throughout Saturday, both youths remained missing as of late Saturday evening.

Following these consecutive accidents, the Raigad district administration and local police have issued urgent appeals to the public. Authorities are strongly advising tourists to avoid visiting waterfalls and hazardous locations during the monsoon, refrain from entering overflowing rivers and streams, avoid taking selfies in dangerous spots, and strictly comply with official safety advisories.