
Disclaimer: Some readers may find the story disturbing. Discretion is advised.
In a devastating incident on Sunday (June 30) near Maharashtra's Bhushi Dam in Lonavala, five members of a family, including four children, tragically drowned in a waterfall.
According to the authorities, the incident took place around 1:30 pm when the Bhushi Dam overflowed due to heavy rainfall in the region. A woman, two 6-year-old girls, and a 4-year-old boy from the same family residing in Pune's Sayyed Nagar area were swept away by the strong currents near the waterfall, approximately 2 kilometres from the dam.
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Search and rescue operations were immediately launched, and two bodies have been recovered so far - those of a 40-year-old woman and a 13-year-old girl.
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However, the search is still going on for the remaining two children.
"We have recovered the bodies of a 40-year-old woman and a 13-year-old girl. Two 6-year-old girls and a 4-year-old boy are still missing. It appears they were part of a family that slipped into a waterfall approximately two kilometres from Bhushi Dam and drowned in the downstream reservoir," Pune SP Pankaj Deshmukh told PTI news agency.
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This tragic incident has left the community in Lonavala and the family's hometown of Pune in a state of shock and grief. Authorities have assured that all efforts are being made to locate the missing children and provide support to the affected family.
(With inputs from agencies)