Body of Pune man swept away by floodwaters recovered after two days

Pune: The body of a 26-year-old man, who was swept away by floodwaters on July 24 when torrential downpours pounded Pune, was recovered by the fire brigade on Saturday, an official said.

With the recovery of the body of Akshay Salunkhe, a resident from the Katraj area, the death toll in rain-related incidents in Pune on Wednesday has risen to six, said officials.

According to the fire department official, a man went missing after being swept away by floodwaters in Katraj amid heavy rains on Wednesday. The incident was reported to the fire department's control room around 6 pm, he said.

“A rescue vehicle was dispatched from Gangadham fire station. However, the operation got hampered due to increased water discharge from the (Khadakwasla) dam,” he said.

The discharge of water from the dam increased the water level of the Mutha river, flooding areas on its banks.

“Despite our efforts that day, the man could not be located due to strong currents,” he said.

The fire department intensified the search efforts the next day, deploying several teams.

“Around 10 am today (Saturday), the man’s body was discovered under the Dengale bridge near the municipal corporation building. With the help of lifeguards, fire department personnel fished out the body and handed it over to the police,” the official said.

Heavy rains battered the Pune city and district on Wednesday, flooding low-lying areas, and leading to people from several localities being evacuated by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams.