On Sunday, Ganesh idol immersion celebrations across Maharashtra turned deadly as at least four persons died and 13 others went missing in a string of drowning events. Heavy rain across the state has made rivers and other bodies of water overflow, making it harder to search for and rescue people.
Pune, Nanded, Nashik, Jalgaon, and Thane were some of the districts where the events happened. Four people in Pune were washed away in different events. Two bodies have been found, but the hunt for the other two is still going on. In the same way, one person in Nanded was saved after being swept away, but two others are still missing. Nine people have gone missing in Jalgaon, Thane, and Nashik, and the hunt for them is still going on. They have all gone missing in swollen rivers and other bodies of water.
Official Response and Rescue Efforts
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Teams have been sent to the areas that were hit by the crisis. A high-ranking police officer says that the high water levels and strong currents are making it harder to rescue people.
In another sad event in the Sakinaka region of Mumbai, a man died and five others were hurt after a Ganesh idol trolley hit a high-tension electrical wire during a parade. The event has made the end of the 10-day festival less happy. The deaths from both drowning and electrocution have brought a sad end to the celebrations across the state. Authorities are telling people to be very careful during immersion ceremonies.