Tragedy in Lonavala: Rescue Teams Search for Missing Children

Police, Navy divers, and rescue teams are searching for two missing children swept away at a waterfall near Bhushi Dam, Lonavala. The tragic incident resulted in three fatalities. Intensified efforts are ongoing to locate Adnan Ansari (4) and Mariya Ansari (9), amid significant rainfall and increasing visitor numbers in the area.

Police, Navy divers, and other rescue teams resumed the search on Monday for two missing children swept away at a waterfall near Bhushi Dam in Lonavala, Pune, officials reported. The tragic incident involves three other family members who also lost their lives.

The rescue teams had already recovered the bodies of a 36-year-old woman and two minor girls following Sunday's incident. Efforts to find the remaining two children, Adnan Sabhahat Ansari (4) and Mariya Aqil Ansari (9), continue, according to police.

An official from Lonavala police station stated, "The search operation resumed on Monday morning with the assistance of Vanyajeev Rakshak Maval, Shiv Durg Trekkers Organisation, and Navy divers."

A heart-wrenching video captured the moment a group of people, including the deceased, were swept away by gushing waters triggered by intense rainfall in the region. The bodies of Shahista Liaqat Ansari (36), Amima Adil Ansari (13), and Umera Adil Ansari (8) were recovered from the reservoir downstream on Sunday.

According to the police, 16-17 family members from Sayyad Nagar in Pune's Hadapsar area had hired a private bus for a Sunday picnic near Lonavala's scenic waterfall. However, heavy rain suddenly caused a surge in the water flow, sweeping them away. A family relative mentioned they had traveled from Mumbai for a wedding a few days prior.

As the monsoon season begins, the Bhushi and Pavana dam areas attract thousands of visitors, often ignoring warnings from police and local authorities about avoiding risky areas. Police estimated that over 50,000 people visited Lonavala on Sunday alone.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)