- Seven men got stranded on rocks at Visarwadi Dapur waterfall in Maharashtra during monsoon
- Locals formed a human chain and used a wooden log to rescue the stranded men
- Rescue visuals showed locals braving strong currents and losing balance at times
A monsoon getaway took an unpleasant turn for a group of seven that got stranded across the strong current of stream in Maharashtra, prompting locals to launch a rescue operation.
At a time when monsoon is in full swing in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, seven men were visiting the Visarwadi Dapur waterfall in Nandurbar district. As the waterfall continued to swell up amid heavy rains, the group got stranded on a patch of rocks between the stream flowing downstream.
Their calls for help were answered by locals, around 10 of whom formed a human chain and used a wooden log to bring the stranded men to safety. Visuals of the rescue showed the locals braving the stream's strong current, while losing balance at times, as they carefully moved each of the visitors to the safe side.
Last month, an ageing bridge near Pune gave way, plunging the scores of tourists on it into the Indrayani river. Four people died at the spot in Kundmala, a popular tourist destination that sees high footfall during monsoons.
Following the incident, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik said the safety of tourists needs to be prioritised during the monsoon and dangerous or risky spots should be closed down temporarily.
Along with putting up signboards at dangerous tourist spots, they should be temporarily closed until they are fully repaired with adequate security arrangements put in place, she had said. Appropriate action should be taken against tourists who do not take precautions and ignore instructions of the administration or police, the senior IAS officer had added.
