Pune: The body of a 26-year-old man who was swept away by floodwaters during heavy rains in Pune on July 24 was recovered by the fire brigade on Saturday. With the recovery of the body of Akshay Salunkhe, a resident of Katraj area, the death toll in rain-related incidents in Pune on Wednesday rose to six, officials said. According to a fire brigade official, a man went missing after he was swept away by floodwaters in Katraj amid heavy rains on Wednesday. He said the incident was reported to the fire brigade control room around 6 pm. “A rescue vehicle was dispatched from Gangadham fire station.
However, the operation was hampered due to increased water discharge from the (Khadakvasla) dam,” he said. The release of water from the dam caused the water level of the Mutha river to rise, inundating areas along its banks. “Despite our efforts on that day, the man could not be traced due to strong currents,” he said. The next day, the fire brigade intensified the search operation by deploying multiple teams. “The body of the man was found under the Dengle bridge near the Municipal Corporation building at around 10 am today (Saturday). With the help of lifeguards, the fire brigade personnel pulled out the body and handed it over to the police,” the official said. Heavy rains lashed Pune city and district on Wednesday, leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams evacuating people from several areas.
