Gandhinagar, Sep 13 (IANS): At least 10 people drowned during the Ganesh Visarjan in a river in Gujarat’s Dahegam while the rescue teams have recovered five people rescue operations for others are currently underway, an official said.

He said that the incident occurred in Dahegam’s Vasna Sigathi village, where a group had gathered for idol immersion.

He said that ten individuals were swept away by the water current in the Meshwo River’s check dam during the immersion ceremony.

“The local administration, fire department, and local divers were immediately alerted, and rescue operations commenced,” the official said.

He added that despite warnings from the village panchayat and the establishment of a designated safe area for the immersion, a few enthusiastic youths ventured into the check dam. The strong current quickly overwhelmed them, resulting in the tragedy.

Local MLA Balrajsinh Chauhan said that authorities had advised caution and set up a safe area for the ceremony. However, some individuals ignored the warnings, leading to the incident. Nearby villagers and those present attempted to rescue the victims but were hindered by the swift current.

The official said that rescue teams have been working to locate the remaining missing individuals, and operations are still ongoing.

This incident comes just two days after a similar accident in Patan district, where four people drowned during Ganesh Visarjan. A rapid emergency response was launched immediately after the incident.

Local authorities, firefighters, and medical teams were quickly deployed to the scene, with multiple ambulances providing necessary medical assistance.

MLA Kirit Patel also rushed to the site to oversee rescue operations.