At least 45 people have been rescued from Sultan Garh Waterfalls in Shivpuri by the State Disaster Relief Force (SDFC) on Thursday, Aug 16 after a sudden surge in the water swept 11 people to their death in a flash flood at the spot as they fell down from a height of 100 feet into the water.
"We have rescued 40 people and five people were rescued earlier by a helicopter. All these 45 people are safe now," Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Hingankar told ANI.
The incident, that took place on Wednesday (August 15) at a popular picnic spot in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, is being described in different versions. While witnesses say that the water level started rising at around 4:30 pm and heavy rainfall in the upper ranges had created a flash flood situation, there are reports blaming the dam water that was released in the evening.
"We are not sure how many people have drowned. We are focusing on the rescue operations right now," said Gwalior SP Navneet Bhasin. However, the rescue work was stopped at night due to poor visibility and resumed again today early in the morning, said an official.
The chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, understanding the seriousness of the matter said, "Efforts to rescue people trapped in a waterfall in Shivpuri continue. I am constantly in touch with the rescue team. Rescue teams with the help of a helicopter are striving."
He has also asked Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for help in rescuing stranded people. Both the ministers assured him of the necessary assistance and tweeted the same. Also, the National Disaster Response Force has been pressed into service to rescue stranded people in Shivpuri, Singh said in his tweet.
While some people rushed outside the waterfall when the locals screamed about high current approaching them, 11 people got stuck and fell down into the water. According to media reports, two bodies have been found so far and are said to be from Gwalior.
