Lonavala waterfall tragedy: Search continues for 2 missing children

On Monday police Navy divers and other rescue teams began their search for two missing children and three family members who were carried away by a waterfall near the Bhushi Dam in Lonavala Pune The Lonavala waterfall tragedy happened on SundayOn Sunday rescuers recovered the body of a 36yearold lady and two small daughters Police are still searching for Adnan Sabhahat Ansari 4 and Mariya Aqil Ansari 9 reported PTIThe search operation for the two children resumed on Monday morning with the rescue teams of the Vanyajeev Rakshak Maval Shiv Durg Trekkers Organisation and the Navy divers a Lonavala police station official told PTILonavala waterfall tragedy Video of incident viralReportedly a video of the Lonavala waterfall tragedy shows a group of people including the victims being swept away by powerful water currents generated by heavy rainVIDEO Visuals of five persons who drowned in a waterfall close to the backwater of Bhushi Dam in Punes Lonavala area earlier today Officials said that the incident happened at 1230pm when a family was out for a picnic at the scenic spot They said the bodies of Shahistahellip pictwittercomqOmk0qQHPamdash Press Trust of India PTI_News June 30 2024On Sunday the bodies of Shahista Liaqat Ansari 36 Amima Adil Ansari 13 and Umera Adil Ansari 8 were discovered in the reservoir downstreamAccording to police 1617 members of a family from Sayyad Nagar in Punes Hadapsar area hired a private bus for a picnic in Lonavala The rushing water flow induced by heavy rain washed them away according to a news agency reportAccording to a relative the family had recently returned from a wedding in Mumbai On Sunday more than 15 people leased a bus to Lonavala for a picnicLonavala waterfall tragedy Estimated 50000 persons visited the hill station on SundayWith the onset of the monsoon season thousands of visitors go to the Bhushi and Pavana dam areas frequently rejecting police and local officials advice to avoid new sites A police officer estimated that about 50000 people visited Lonavala on SundayAnother PTI report quoted Senior Police Inspector Kishor Dhumal saying that it is crucial to take preventive measuressuch as increasing police presence installing metal fencing marking danger zones with visible signs and deploying more lifeguards to avoid untoward incidentsAnticipating 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 PTIPolicePatils are villagelevel personnel appointed by the concerned collector who assist the police in maintaining law and order in rural areasDhumal told PTI that drownings occur because victims fail to access the waters 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