9 dead, 7 missing as local rescue boat capsizes in Sangli

A ‘rescue boat’ at Brahmanal Village in Sangli capsized on Thursday leading to the death of 9 people. Government officials from Sangli confirmed that nine bodies have been recovered, the death toll is expected to go up as there are still many more missing.

Government officials clarified that the rescue was not organised by them or the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) but by locals. According to them the local gram panchayat had procured a private boat to rescue villages trapped in the village. With the rescue teams not being able to rescue everyone the villagers decided to carry out their own rescue. The boat was probably over crowded as it carried 30 to 35 people, the boat however capsized and all those on the boat fell in to the flooded waters. Nine bodies have recovered and the death toll is expected to go up as seven more people are still missing. NDRF team has been rushed to the scene to find the missing villagers said government officials.

Parts of Maharashtra like Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara have been under flood waters for close to a week now due to heavy rains that has trapped thousands within villages with road and rail networks cut off.