Toll rises to 25 in rain-related incidents in Pune district

Pune, Jun 25 (UNI) As many as 25 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents in the district.

Resident Deputy Collector Chintamani Joshi told UNI that as per the report submitted to the Divisional Commissionerate, 11 people died in wall collapse, nine were struck by lightning, four died of drowning and one more life was lost when the branch of a tree fell on him.

On Friday, 11 persons including 4 members of a family died in two separate incidents of wall collapse in Baner and Paud area of the city. Nine persons died as ligtning struck them in the first two weeks of the month. Yesterday, four children in the age group of 5-7 years drowned in a pond at Takli Haji in Shirur taluka when their parents were working in a field nearby. Two of them were brothers while the other were a brother-sister duo. A 65-year old lady died in Purandar taluka after a branch fell on her, he said adding that the report had been submitted to the Chief Ministers office.

Around 25 villages were affected by heavy rains. Three houses were completely destroyed resulting in a loss of Rs 65,000 A total of 117 houses were damaged causing a loss of Rs 21,30,536.

Around 47 animals comprising 24 oxen and 23 sheep died due to heavy rains and the damage is estimated to be around Rs 5.29 lakh.

Besides this, 29 hectares of crop has been damaged due to the heavy downpour, he added.

UNI